Redemption
by lavenderghost
Summary: The Master. The Doctor's greatest foe. One of the most corrupt and evil beings in the universe. The man who saved the Doctor. He's got a second chance on a remote colony. Can he stay the hero in the face of this universe's greatest horror?
1. Chapter 1

**_OK. I found it difficult to place this under a 'crossover' as it's going to be a long while before the crossover takes place. Yes there will be xenomorphs. But it's a bit far down the road. This is a story I like to think of as a Doctor Who tale featuring xenomorphs instead of having a balance between the two franchises._**

**_Anyway I hope you enjoy and don't judge too harshly. This is my first time doing something like this._**

Nicole walked down the public footpath of the gardens. The air was crisp and bitter and trees had started to loose their leafy coats. She passed a toilet covered in graffiti and a defaced poster on it. The original poster had a large picture of Major Baines, the head of the local army if that's what it could be called, with the slogan 'stick with your friends to stay safe'. Hardly a catchy slogan Nicole thought. The poster had now been sprayed with blood red paint and the odd symbol that looked like it had been drawn by a five year old boy looking for something 'cool' and 'bad ass'. None the less it had the desired intent, this territory belonged to the 'Hawks'. The hawks were a brutish gang made up of humans and multiple species of aliens. They weren't picky about who they attacked as long as they looked weaker then themselves. The hawks had been active in Fenish or a long time now, they were just pests and vandals but since 'the disaster' they'd had a new leader called Flass who'd been grabbing territory for his gang and turning them into safe havens for his gang of increasingly violent rouges. Lately they'd been brawling on the streets using firearms and even committing murder and rape. Nicole got nervous suddenly at this thought and turned off the footpath in to the trees hoping it was a safer route. Her brothers words echoed in her head now.

"It's not safe for a twenty two year old girl to wander around Hawk territory at past seven o'clock. It's dark, anything could happen."

I wasn't having a 'wander around' I have a job unlike you, you lazy bum. Nicole loved her brother Steven but he had some of the worst qualities in a person. He was :Always right, obnoxious, rude, lazy, cowardly and so much more. She manoeuvred around a large tree still thinking of her useless brother. He'd even said that her friend Tom had been with the H.D.L, what a load of rubbish. The HDL were another gang that had ridden to power following 'the disaster'. They however were a much more dignified group. They were reasonable at least and they didn't attack anyone who they saw. They wore posh looking grey uniforms, posher then the armies in fact. Although the gang had a reputation of only attacking if they were attacked there was still something threatening about how they would always be marching in twos, holding sub-machine guns. A sudden sadness filled Nicole, she'd thought of Tom. He was her work friend, they used to walk home together for safety but he like so many others had vanished. Some people blamed the Hawks or the H.D.L for the disappearances but Nicole remembered they'd been happen before that, ever since the smog had fallen on the outskirts and choked anyone who hadn't left to death. So much had been happening in Fenish at the moment and there was no room for decent people like Nicole anymore. SMACK. A branch had hit Nicole in the face. She swore loudly and stumbled into a clearing nearby. She sat on a log in the middle to nurse her check, but that's when she spotted him. A man laying face down near the trees on the other side. Nicole took a quick glance around the area to check for the man's attacker, he must of been attacked, why else would he be laying out here, unless he was homeless. Nicole took a jog towards him and got on her knees next to the man. She turned him onto his back and gave him CPR. He was breathing, now anyway. She checked for what caused this injury but that was the problem. He didn't have an injury. Suddenly a twig snapped loudly behind her. Nicole jumped to her feet and spun round to face the intruder. It was a bird. A stupid bird. Nicole breathed in relief and turned back to the man on the ground. It was then the mans eyes darted open. Nicole had not been prepared for the intensity of the mans eyes, they seemed so much older then he was. The man sat up as suddenly as his eyes had opened and twisted his head into almost impossible positions as he examined his where abouts. The man jumped to his feet and stared at his hands before sprinting across the clearing from one side to the other. He didn't seem to take any notice that Nicole was even there.

"HA HA" The man shouted at the top of his voice. "HA HA HA HA". He dashed to the log in the middle and jumped on it in a single bound. "oh, oh, oh, OH, YES". A insanely large smile had stretched over his face. He punched the air. "IT WILL TAKE MORE THEN A TIME-LOCK TO STOP ME HA HA". Nicole couldn't help but faintly smile at the mans antics before she realised how much noise he was making. Nicole ran over.

"SHH. There are some.." This man was obviously in some kind of shock so it would require some simpler sayings. "There are some bad people around who may hurt us if they hear us so if you..." Nicole didn't get a chance to finish her sentience when the man interrupted

"oh Hello!" He jumped off the log and landed right next to her, before kissing her on the lips. Nicole wasn't accustomed to being kissed by strangers or by men who smelt so badly. "I'm alive, I'm alive, never dieing, never dieing, NEVER DIEING." The man's voice suddenly became casual. "So I have a question for you. No. I have two. No three. I have three questions for you."

"Erm. OK." Nicole said a little nervously.

"Number one. I feel good. Really good. Like better then before good. So my question is something really important that my entire personality and abilities depend on. What colour is my hair?"

"How does that relate to anything?"

"Oh, everything, am I blond?"

"No your sort of browny coloured."

"Then I'm back the way I used to be. Before the manic Christmas."

"I think you're a little grey as well." Nicole chipped in. The man paused and looked at her.

"Oi, that's.. the light. Yes question two. Where am I."

"the forest of gunsh."

"Ohw, now that is a name. Don't you love saying that. I'm in the forest of gunsh. Gunsh."The man seemed lost in his thoughts while Nicole giggled. "OK then where is the forest of gunsh and when? This is all question two by the way."

"Are you OK?"Nicole asked.

"You answer mine and I'll answer yours"

"The south end of the colony in the polire sector of the exide galaxy. 3267AD."

"Blimey you are a long way from home. Last question then. Who are you?"

"My name's Nicole Myles."

"Pleased to meet you Nicole Myles, I'm the Master."

"You're the what?"

"The Master"

"That's a bit pretentious isn't it?"

"Why?"

"Come on. My name is the Master"

"I thought your name was Nicole Myles?"

"No. I mean yes my name's Nicole Myles. Look I've got a place not far from here, you need meant.. Medical help and it's not safe around here at night so just stick with me."

"Lead the way Nicole Myles"


	2. Chapter 2

Nicole and the Master left the park by climbing over a dirty wall. It was the safest way now Nicole had said. It was a nuisance the Master had said still, they were in a safe area now and on the way to Nicole's house. The Master examined the girl he was travelling with. She looked young, very young must be early twenties the Master thought. Light brunette with her hair slightly lower then her shoulders, in a world like this taking time with your hair must be pointless so it was understandable she left it like this the only thing she'd done with it was brush it to get rid of knots. Her clothes were jet black and rather sleek, probably to help blend in and not be spotted by anyone she didn't want to be seen by. She had a pretty face, looking innocent with some freckles around her cheeks but there was a amount of toughness on her face as well, no doubt from living in this environment. Nice breasts, wait no that's not what you should be thinking right now, still good though. Now concentrate on her personality ,Master. She's panicked but doesn't want to show it. She helped a strange man she found in the woods, says she's either really kind or she's getting desperate for some help. But help for what? Herself or something much bigger, both. Most likely both. She giggled earlier so she likes my humour or at least the ability to make light of a dark situation, boy is she gonna love me. Now the Master turned his attention to the environment around him. Buildings looking a bit run down military checkpoints here and there, none of which had a soldier inside. Strange and getting more exciting.

Nicole examined the man she was travelling with. He's age was difficult to decipher he looked youngish but acted like a hyper-child, even now he was looking all-around with wide eyes finding even the smallest and most average detail amazing. It was like he really didn't know where he was. He acted like a child true but whenever she looked into his eyes he seemed much, much older and wiser. He also looked like he carried a heavy weight over his shoulders. Maybe that was what interested her the most. The man seemed dangerous but not to her. Suddenly she noticed his clothes, they were horrible, little more then rags. He wore a ruined blue shirt and the remains of what had once been jeans. How he got in the Forest was an enigma as was his name and who he is but Nicole couldn't help but trust him and she somehow knew that this man was what the colony needed.

"Here we are. My home" Nicole stopped the master at one of the many houses they had passed. The only difference between this one and any other on the street was the number 184 on the door. "oh and er by the way I live with my brother. He might be a bit aggressive towards you but I'll try to erm calm him." Nicole sheepishly looked up at the Master like Steven was going to give him hell, which Nicole knew he would.

"That's OK. Let him try. I'm up for it. I've faced much worse then someones angry brother."The Master spoke relaxed and like he was looking forward to the argument. Nicole was groping around her pockets.

"I can't find the key." She muttered.

"Then let your brother get the door." The Master knocked four times on the door and called "Oh Mr. Myles, you couldn't get the door could you? Only Nicole has lost her key."

Much fumbling and mumbling was heard before the door shot open and a pudgy unshaven man stood in the doorway. He had brown hair like his sister but it looked grubby and his features less kind.

"yer?" Steven Myles asked, a stench of alcohol flew from his mouth.

"You must be Mr. Myles." The Master shoved his hand in Steven's, and grasped it in a one sided handshake. "I'm The Master, a friend of Nicole's."

"Your the what?" Steven glared into The Master's face

"I'm The Master" The Master repeated.

"Right. I'm Steven and goodbye. Nicole get in here." Steven signalled Nicole in with his head.

"Oh he's coming in with me." Nicole stared at her brother and gave a slight smile. Steven had then been barged out of the way by The Master who, once inside, immediately stopped to examine the wallpaper. Steven was still against the wall, not knowing what had happened yet as Nicole hopped past him and guided The Master to the living room/Kitchen. Nicole put the kettle on and gestured for the Master to take a seat in one of the arm chairs. The Master nodded and sat down.

"OI" Came a shout from the hallway as the sound of the front door closing was heard "What's goin' on" Steven came into the living room and stared at the Master. You can't just come wandering into my house.

"No I invited him" Nicole piped in from the kitchen.

"Don't worry Jeff" The Master said. "I won't steal anything."

"My name's Steven." Steven said, his anger was starting rise, Nicole could tell from the vein on his forehead. "And you" he turned to face Nicole. "What are you doin'?"

"I had a great day at work, thanks for asking." Nicole sarcastically said. She took two mugs and began to make the tea.

"Oi, give us a cuppa." Steven said quietly. Nicole took a third cup and added tea to that as well.

An hour passed in which the three of them sat in the living room. The Master was asking questions about the situation on the colony that Nicole answered as best she could while Steven sat in silence drinking his tea and staring at the Master suspiciously. For about five minutes The Master stared at the ceiling apparently deciding his next move, whilst tapping four beats onto his empty mug. It didn't take long before Steven reacted.

"Will you stop that?" He snapped jumping to his feet.

"Steven, shut up" Nicole snapped back.

"stop what?" the Master quizzed

"Drumming with your fingers." Steven replied with a tone of anger

"I'm sorry Steven. Has five flimsy minutes of drumming driven you insane? Think what nine hundred years of it has done to me." The Master coldly gazed up at Steven from his chair. Both Nicole and Steven held looks of confusion but Steven looked slightly scared while Nicole curious. "So I'm hungry." The Master walked into the kitchen and pulled open the fridge.

Steven began miming frantically at Nicole, none of these mimes made any sense apart from Steven smashing his fist into his hand. She just shrugged at him and mouthed 'I like him'. Then The Master emerged with a chocolate bar in his mouth.

Steven spluttered "I was savin' that!" The Master's eyes widened and he spat it out offering it back to Steven who stepped back whist Nicole giggled. "Oh yeah it's real original humour coming from our 'Master', now isn't it?" The Master winked at Nicole and shoved the rest of the bar into his mouth.

"Can I have a shower?" The master asked.

"certainly"

"NO"

the two answers were in unison but the Master said his thanks to Nicole and ran upstairs. It was now Steven ranted at Nicole. She only caught words of his rant as she zoned out. "who is he... How long have you known him... What's his real name... Properly on drugs... Responsible..." Thankfully the Master came downstairs before Steven could continue his rant any further. "That's my suit!" Steven shouted pointing at the Master who was indeed in a suit.

"You're not using it. It was covered in dust and you're a bit big for it now so it may as well go for some use." The Master walked towards the door followed by Nicole and Steven. "Well I'll be off now."

"Not in my suit you won't!"

"Wait, where are you going?"

"I'm keeping the suit and I'm going to see this Major Baines he seems like the guy I want to see."

"You're not keeping my suit!"

"You can't just leave!"

"Actually I can do both of those things. Nicole thanks for the help and Steven thanks for the suit."

"That's my suit, you bring it back NOW." Steven really shouted this time.

Nicole turned to him "actually it's my suit, I got it for you to use at Tom's wedding, remember?" Nicole ran out after the Master.

"You're not coming with me, Nicole sorry but I work better alone."

"You can't leave me to get another rant from him." Nicole said. The Master gazed at the gaping Steven.

"yeah good point you can help me find it." The Master and Nicole walked off together down the streets.


	3. Chapter 3

The Master paused at the intersection, glancing around at the three possible routes. Nicole came up from behind him.

"Army base, this way" as she started to walk down the road on the right. The master jogged after her. "You look good in that suit. At least better then you did in those rags."

"Thanks. I think. It's nice and black and I do like a black suit. Reminds me of my time as prime minister."

"You.. What?" Nicole asked looking half bemused. "You're saying these things to taunt me. To say that I know nothing of you." The Master's eyes widened.

"wow you're good, I was trying to see something." there was a pause while Nicole waited for him to say something.

"Which is?" Nicole pushed

"Why are you still here?"

"Do you want me to go?"

"No, I mean it as in why are you still here? Strange man you know nothing about, in rags, steals your brothers suit which I'm looking at and thinking that's not cheap. I keep pushing these things on you and you just stay."

"I admit. I'm intrigued. That's why I'm still here and also, you need help. I can see that. You're sensitive and vulnerable, and you're a good man I can see it." The Master burst out laughing at this.

"HA oh, oh. I don't which part of that to correct first. I don't need help, I'm not sensitive ,I'm not vulnerable and I am definitely not a good man."

"you don't need help then?"

"nope, none at all."

"then which way do you go now?" They'd reached another intersection.

"OK. I don't know tell me." Nicole had started moving straight on. "That way, fine, I've got it. you've proved you point."

"oh no. The base is that way." Nicole pointed at the road on the left.

"Then why are you going that way?"

"because you don't need my help." Nicole smiled at him.

"that's right I don't. Er, bye."

"bye." They stared at each other for a while neither of them wanting to be the one who moved first. Nicole moved slightly and slowly down the street. It was obvious she was waiting for the master to protest and ask for her help but instead it seemed to act as a trigger for the Master to get going towards the base.

"yeah bye Nicole thanks for everything." The Master moved off down the left street leaving Nicole standing by herself. it was then that a figure moved out of the shadows behind her.

The master was halfway down the street refusing to look back and see where Nicole was. I don't need her. He thought to himself. I'm the Master, I've ruled civilisations. I don't need some girl to guide me through a dark city. Yet again he found a cross road. Lucky for him then that there were three men standing on the street corner.

"excuse me." The master called over to them. "You don't know where the army base do you? Only I'm in a rush and i don't want to waste anymore time in this place."

"What 'cho doin' 'ere?" asked The smallest man who was at the front.

"I was waiting for the train actually." Replied the Master

"really?" the short man replied. "'Cos you know there ain't no trains running round 'ere no more."

"well yes I was being sarcastic. I already told you what I was doing here when I asked where the army base was." The master replied like he was talking explaining brain surgery to children. It was then he noticed the men getting closer. One of them who had a cigarette was a odd colour, he was most likely a hybrid, the largest man was holding some kind of crowbar. It was then the master realised these men were hostile. "Now then boys." he spoke to them. "there's no need for violence." Only half meaning it. The men just chuckled quietly like manics. The next thing he knew the Master was grabbed from behind by the shortest man, who had somehow managed to slip behind him unnoticed. With the Master's arms behind his back the hybrid attempted to shove his cigarette in the Master's face, however he bent over so suddenly that the short one was thrown onto his back and got hit by the cigarette instead. The Master rammed the into the hybrid using the short man and they both ended up on the floor. The largest man then swung his crowbar at the Master, who ducked under it and muttered "unprovoked attack this is an unprovoked attack." the large man took another swing this time at the master's chest. Again the master dodged it, the short man however was getting to his feet but instead got the full brunt of the crowbar on the back of his already cigarette burned head. He gave a yelp of pain as he was knocked out cold. The largest man looked in shock at what he'd just done. The hybrid man took this opportunity to get to his feet and charged at the Master. The Master turned around just in time to see this attack coming and ducked the punch that came flying at him and delivering a well placed headbutt in the hybrid's gut. The hybrid staggered back and looked past the Master. This made the Master realise what must be coming behind him and dashed out of the way of the incoming crowbar. The Master turned when he reached the other side of the road to see the two of them running at him, the large man swinging his crowbar high above his head. It was the large man who attacked first once again blindly swing the bar, this time the Master had a idea, once the bar had zoomed past his head he grabbed it and easily yanked it out of the shocked man's hands. The master immediately smacked the end of it into the large man's face who fell back wards onto the concrete. The hybrid man now ran screaming at the Master. The Master swung the crowbar ,or as he now realised, swung the drainpipe into the hybrids shins making him fall forwards in the middle of the road unconscious. The large man was struggling up when the master sent another blow to the face sending him back to ground. The Master checked the men's bodies, all unconscious, maybe he should finish them off for good measure. Then a scream came from the direction he had come from.

"Nicole?" The Master looked down the street. "Is that you?" The master started to run back now thinking great now you've got to save the damsel in distress. he dropped the drainpipe and ran around the corner of the street. Nothing was there. Except a small alleyway. The Master walked down it to see two figures one was Nicole and the other was a man even bigger then the one he'd just fought and this one had a knife.

"SHH sexy" the man was saying. "you want this as much as i do". A sickening look was on the man's eyes and the Master knew what was on his mind. He walked slowly and silently behind the man.

"Get off of me." Nicole was saying with fear and anger in her voice. She was flailing like a fish but the man was far too strong. The man held the knife out to his side and spoke quietly.

"Now, now, sexy. I do like them alive but if you keep..."

"YONK" The Master shouted as he stole the knife out of the man's hand completely ruining the mood with his boisterous grin. Nicole's face lit up as she stared at the Master hardly believing he was there the man took a few steps back and raised his fist, however the master waved the knife around in front of him and the man backed down. The man walked towards the master, his arms out stretched now he was looking like the victim.

"Now listen ,mate. I wasn't..."

"slash" The Master simply said and cut his arm. The man cried and tried to run past the Master in retreat, but the Master tripped him up and the man fell to the floor.

"please.." The man screamed. But was stabbed on the floor.

"I think I got his bladder HA-HA." The master's face shone with delight as the light left the man's eyes. He left the knife standing on it's own in the man's body. Adding "he, got his bladder".


	4. Chapter 4

The Master stood over the bloody pulp that was once a man. He breathed deeply, taking in the smell of iron from the mans blood and smiled.

"that's what you get for attacking my friend"he quietly said a touch of humour in his voice. The smile vanished as he turned to the empty alleyway in which he stood. "that's what you all get." he bellowed then adding a short "HA" with his returning smile which rapidly turned into a manic grin. The Master turned to Nicole. "You don't have to thank me or anything for saving you from a great big..." He struggled to find the words. "...Guy." It was then The Master spotted the appalled look on the young girls face. She look terrified. His grin was gone as fast as it arrived "Oh what is it now?" He quizzed in a voice reminiscent of being told of by parents.

"You... You..." Nicole spluttered.

"I killed him yes." The Master finished for her. "In a violent and rather funny way. It was good wasn't it? Did you see his face?"

"You... monster" Nicole finished. Her voice had begun to sound shrill.

"What? But I saved you. I mean I saved you that's saying something. Me. And this is my thanks. Great. I see why the Doctor does this now."

"You didn't have to kill him." Nicole spoke with more control in her voice now but her anger was in her voice.

"erm. yes I did. He had a knife. He attacked you. So did what I had to do. You really should be grateful." The Master's voice turned much more intimidating. "I could of left you to him. I could of watched as the knife pierced your flesh. As you struggle and scream but ultimately and inevitably are silenced. But instead like a good man I saved you. And did it to him instead."

"A good man wouldn't do that to anyone. He was going to run away, couldn't you see that? Or did you not want to see that?" She paused as the two of them eyed each other up. "Who are you?"

"I told you. I'm the Master"

"That's not a name."

"but it's all I've got. OK. So just leave me alone now. You helped me and I've just helped you so now we owe nothing to each other so run along girl, the less you know of me the better." Nicole didn't move. "I said run."

"No."

"why not?"

"because I haven't finished helping you yet." Nicole stared at him with what looked like pity in her eyes. Neither of them spoke for a while. "I'm going to ask you again 'master'. Who are you."

"I've done things in my past. Bad things. Now I don't know who I am or what to do." The Master quietly admitted. He no longer looked threatening, more like a frightened child.

"Were you a criminal?"

"I was so much more and so much less. If we're going to go through this then lets do it properly. Feel my chest"

"Excuse me?" A startled Nicole said.

"Fine, you're excused." The Master grabbed her hand and placed it gently on both sides of his chest, one after the other.

"you've got two hearts. Two of them." Nicole glanced up at him. "But you look human."

"We came first so you look Time-lord."

"I feel like I've heard of them. A myth, a rumour. Just something."

"We were ,as the name suggests, lords of time itself. The ability to go anywhere and any place, all of time and space was ours. But the council swore never to interfere, think what we could of done."

"I don't want to."

"My father was one of the elite on our home world of Gallifrey. He had a gargantuan garden. Tall red grass as far as the eye could see. We played in those fields all day long, my friends and I. Then came the drums. The drumming, the never ending drum beat. Never ending, never stopping, never fading, never dieing. The drums they made me this way. The high council of the time-lords refused to help those who we could save. So I became a renegade just like one of my friends. I wanted to help. But all I could see was despair and death. Order was what the universe needed if this was to stop. The universe needed a Master. That's why I choose my name. Then the drumming got louder and louder and louder then ever before. That's when I did bad things. It was all about getting power and one of my oldest friends thought I was wrong. We've fought across the stars and he wins. He always wins." Tears filled the master's eyes as he collapsed in a heap on the floor shaking. Nicole ran over and wrapped him in a hug.

"you don't have to continue if you don't want to." She whispered into his ear.

"No. No I will. I've started and need to finish. Then there was the war. The last great time-war between the Time-lords and the daleks. Nobody one. Both races are almost extinct. All that's left of my people is me and that old friend I've mentioned, and he doesn't know I'm alive."

"So you're all alone."

"yes."

"Not anymore." Nicole firmly but gently grasped his hand and lead him away.


	5. Chapter 5

The Master had been oddly silent since he explained a little bit of himself to her, Nicole thought. She wasn't sure what she could do with him now. They'd walked pasted three thugs earlier who the Master claimed responsibility for their unconscious state, he was dangerous, that was obvious, but at the same time he didn't want to be dangerous or did he? The man was such a mystery. She was still trying to comprehend the idea of 'Time-Lords' and his past. How bad was it? Surely it couldn't be as bad as some of the scum on the streets here? But then again you wouldn't call yourself 'the Master' unless you were after something big. Perhaps he was a terrorist. He had used the terms about the universe as well so did that mean he wanted to rule the universe? No, she told herself, that sounds like a old fashioned, cheesy sci-fi villain. Still it was very strange.

"Is this it?" The Master asked, his enthusiasm was starting to return as he gazed at the compound ahead.

"Yeah" Nicole was trying to speak clearly and stop think about what his secrets might be. "Yeah this is it. Just walk slowly and sensibly towards that check point over there." The base was looked huge on the outside. It had once been a group of warehouses used for storing God-Knows-What. It had made an adequate base as it had former lorry parks for vehicles, offices for the officers, lots of storage space, space for soldiers to train and so on. It was covered in barbed wire on the outside with various beams and random boxes around the place. Nicole and the master walked closer to the gate at the front. "What are you going to say? You can't say your name's the master."

"Why not?"

"Because it's not an actual name and it sounds a bit stupid."

"Are you saying my name is stupid?"

"I don't mean it like that but yeah kind of and you can't say it to a maj-" Nicole was interrupted by the soldier at the gate.

"HALT. Who goes there?" The gate guard barked.

"Take me to Major Baines immediately." The Master said with authority in his voice. Despite this it still sounded rather silly. The gate guard raised his laser rifle.

"Do not come any closer. Identify yourselves now or under the laws placed during martial law I am permitted to shoot you both dead."

"Let me do the talking" Nicole whispered as the Master opened his mouth again. "I'm doctor Nicole Myles I've brought a man to visit Major Baines we are not a threat." The gate guard spoke into his radio and a small bunch of soldiers arrived and escorted them inside. They were searched by the leader, according to his uniform he was sergeant R. lake.

"Come on I'm taking you to lieutenant Mathews." Sgt Lake grumbled.

"Actually we're here to see Major Baines." The Master objected

"Listen, if everyone who wanted to see the Major saw him then he'd have no free time." Sgt Lake grumbled as he lead his group off to the left.

"So Nicole." The Master began talking. "You're a doctor?"

"yep, that's right." There was a hint of pride in her voice.

"Great I'm travelling with a doctor doesn't get better then this." The Master was starting to sound more like he had done before. Before Nicole could question him on his history of doctors he spoke again. "You said you're twenty two."

"That's right." Nicole had started to smile now.

"Which must mean you're good. You're very good. I've not often heard of humans being so young and entering such a professional job." the Master was actually complementing her now.

"Either that or they need more staff with the current situation and are scraping the bottom of the barrel" Sgt Lake muttered. The soldiers sniggered.

"I'm assuming it applies to the military and you being a 'sarge' then." Nicole quickly and Cooley retorted. A grin of approval spread across the Master's face and the soldiers laughed louder. Sgt Lake had lost the hint of a smile he'd had and simply pointed to a office on the left. Nicole and the Master entered the office to find a man in a over sized uniform waiting in there.

"Doctor Myles" he greeted Nicole. "I was told to expect you I'm Lt. Mathews." The Master saluted and Nicole bowed her head slightly as a greeting. "What can I do for you and your friend? I'm afraid that I wasn't told your name sir."

I'm the Ma-" Nicole shot him a look. "Man, I'm the man who's here to see major Baines. My name is Harold Saxon." He seemed to say the first name that entered his mind none the less Lt. Mathews didn't notice.

They spent a while discussing how to leave the colony and what the Army knew about the situation here but ultimately it was leading no where and Lt. Mathews wasn't going to allow them to see Major Baines.

"Come now I don't think we have anything left to discuss Mister Saxon. I'll escort you off-site."

"Well this was a massive waste of time." Nicole told the Master.

"Maybe, maybe not." The Master muttered as they walked out the office. Sgt lake was standing outside the doors with half the men from before still with him, Nicole observed that oddly enough it was the same half that hadn't laughed when she spoke back to him. As the Lt and Sgt moved with them back to the gate the Master pointed to a particular large warehouse and asked the Sgt next to him

"I'm guessing that that is where the Major is right?"

"Yeah he's wi-" Sgt. Lake started before Lt. Mathews cleared his throat loudly and the Sgt. stopped speaking. Four figures then emerged from the entrance to the warehouse. Only one was wearing an Army uniform. She recognised the man from the posters all across the colony he was Major Baines. The other figures were unknown to her. One on the far left and not talking to the Major was a short stout man in a bowler hat with brown hair just showing beneath the hat holding a brief case. The woman on the far right was wearing a sharp, strong pinstripe suit with her blond hair done up in a bun, she looked the exact opposite of the man in the bowler hat ,they looked like they'd make a good double act. The last man had a large waist coat and jet black hair. He spoke with a Hitcharny (a colony on a nearish planet) accent.

The hitcharny man suddenly spotted the group and waved at the Lt who sheepishly waved back. But then the man spotted the Master and his face grew into shock. He left his group behind and pelted over towards them.

"HEY, Stop." He shouted and the Lt. ordered a halt which Nicole felt she should obey.

The man burst threw the group of soldiers and came face to face with the Master. They stared at each other for a while.

"Do i know you?" the Master asked. The man's jaw began to tremble.

"Oh do you know Mr. Saxon?" Lt. Mathews asked.

"You bet I know you." The man spluttered. "You should be dead."

"Yeah death is pretty unreliable when It's me." The Master spoke. If we've met them I'm sorry I've clearly upset you. But I've led a long life and faces start to blurr after a while." Then the man pulled a gun at the Master's head and said

"lunatic, I should kill you right now."


	6. Chapter 6

The man with the gun was trembling as he held the pistol in the Master's face. The Master slowly raised his hands but he didn't look scared more like he was analysing who this man was. Major Baines and the other people were running over now none of them looked sure what to do. The soldiers were glancing at one another as well a few raised their weapons at the man but Lt. Mathews waved them down.

"Leave him now!" Nicole spoke firmly.

"Yeah drop the gun." The Master said quietly yet oddly provocatively. "I can see it in your eyes, half of you wants to kill me the other feels like it needs me, a man needs to have a much higher will to kill then not to kill in order to pull that trigger." He was saying it like a dare and like he knew what the outcome would be. The man lowered the gun and turned to Lt. Mathews

"What do you know of him?" He demanded.

"Not much, I.. Is it really important? Is he a spy? A gang member?" The Lt babbled.

The man with the accent began to raise the gun again but Nicole stood in between them, unsure why she did it but she didn't want another pointless standoff.

The man with the accent spoke "Oh so still manipulating people, Master?" The Major nodded to Sgt. Lake who smacked the man with the butt of his gun. The blond woman in the suit and man in the bowler hat began to protest but the Major shushed them down.

"SILENCE." He bellowed. "I want you all to explain this and Mathews and Lake take these two to the cells for interrogation."

"What?" Nicole protested

"oh, come one." The Master sighed. The troops took them towards another area and threw them in make shift cells.

"But we haven't done anything wrong." Nicole tried to reason with Sgt. Lake who muttered under his breath something about orders. The Master was in the cell opposite Nicole. He glared at the solder nearby and the trooper met his eyes before uncomfortably moving away. "I don't suppose you know him, the man outside?" The Master sat on the bed in his cell.

"I've got a couple of ideas." He was glancing around the cell looking for something. Nicole also fell back onto her bed.

"And you're not going to tell me them."

"Nope, I couldn't if I wanted too. Now shh a moment. It's been a long day, I want some sleep."

"Sleep? I'm in prisoned by th-" The Master cut her off with a loud SHHing sound and he fell into his pillow.

Major Baines sat in his office with Linda and Charlie. The Major stared at the two for a while and they stared back.

"Well?" Baines asked. "What was that about?"

"We don't have a clue Major." Linda said. She still spoke in her cold emotionless voice.

"you Charlie?"

"No. No, not a clue, nothing. it's obviously someone from the past but he's a had quite a past so.." Charlie shrugged, he took off his bowler hat and fiddled with it in his hands. There was a thud from outside and the team leader stepped in.

"Major, do you have any idea who that is?" Robert demanded.

The Major leaned back in his chair and spoke "no. I do not. but right now I'm preoccupied with gangs roaming around my city and those things in the poison zone, which you won't even tell me what's in there thank you, to worry about one man we now have captured."

"Major that man is worse then any gang here and even worse then the things that crashed here."

"Tell me what they are. I'm a man of the army I'm not going to leave out of cowardliness. It would help if I knew what we're up against."

"Major if we're successful then you won't have to deal with it, but a much bigger problem is that man."

"Well go on then, tell me. tell me why I should care about this man."

He swallowed before explaining. "His name is the Master. He's a time lord." At these words Major baines leaned forward. "And not one of the good ones. I've seen the despair and destruction he's inflicted upon the universe. He's tortured me. Makes people watch as he kills their loved ones, no real reason for it, only for his amusement. The Master is a psychopath with no regard for the lives of anyone but himself and if he gets free then you're dead, you're all dead."

"A time-lord?" The Major muttered to himself. "I'll speak to him."

"No, listen to me."

"NO, you listen to me. You're here for one reason and one reason only. Those invaders. This time-lord is mine to use as I see fit."

"Use?"

"Yes, if I can control him-"

"You can't control him. He's too intelligent."

"Go and do your jobs, all of you, this discussion is over." Linda and Charlie exited but one last sentence came from Robert.

"You're going to regret it." And Robert left the room after his teammates.

"Bloody Spec. Ops." The Major muttered to himself. "Think they run the universe."

The Master was slammed into a hard wooden chair by a rough looking solder, he was now in a straight jacket. A dim light shone next to the Master's face in what was otherwise a dark room. The door opposite opened sending unexpected light flooding into the room as the figure of the Major walked in. The door was shut and once more darkness engulfed the room. The Major took a much more comfortable looking chair on the other side of the desk.

"So" Major Baines begin. "So, Mr. Saxon was it?"

"oh, don't give me that." The Master rolled his eyes. "You know who I am, that man must of told you."

"Do you know who he is?"

"I'm not sure but I can't be expected to remember everyone, I mean, come on."

"Well Robert spoke of some unpleasant things you've done in the past."

"I'm sure he did and I have no denying it, but" he sighed as if resigning himself to a unpleasant household chore. "This colony is a mess and maybe I can help. I could try to turn this place around." A shadow of a smile had formed on the major's face, this was exactly what he wanted to hear.

"Good man, there's something I'd like you to take a look at." He nodded at the solder who, with rather less force this time, hoisted the Master out of the chair and lead him out the room. As they crossed the many corridors in the broken down base the Master thought how desperate and sure of himself the major must be if he suddenly trusted him after one sentence. Desperate and foolish. Still perhaps trust was too powerful of a word. They ended up in a room with a large hologram of the city divided into four different colours. "You there, Wu." Major Baines barked. Lt. Wu spun around on the spot.

"Major!" He spluttered. The man was clearly not used to having Major Baines speak to him.

"Show 'our guest' the predicament." ordered Major Baines. "Level two." He added as a after note. Level two was obviously a knowledge clearance level.

"As you can see," Lt. Wu began, this was something he did on a regular basis judging by his tone, "We have divided the city into four sections of different colours. Each of these colours represents a group active in the city including our own."

"Hang on." The Master interrupted. "The army is taking part in some sort of turf war?" The Major bit his lip.

"We have no choice. It's the defence of the people of this city..."

"Have you ever considered that you're encouraging them? Making more people die. But I don't think you care, not really. Because this is the first real piece of action you've seen and you're loving it. Everyone doing what you say, the people cheering you as a hero and a protector. You couldn't give that up. So this little half-war continues until you decide it's over which could be, what? Years?"

"The situation has only been such for a few months..."

"Oh, and what a good few months it's been. You're facing thugs, a capable military would of ended it in two weeks at the most. I'm good at spotting peoples dark sides and what a dark side you have." The Master turned to look at Lt. Wu and the hologram. "If you include the army there are four groups on this. My friend told me there were two gangs not three. Who's the third group you don't want the public to know, Wu?" Wu looked from Major Baines to the Master unsure if he should answer.

"Well," he piped up, "we don't know. But they're hostile aliens." A smile grew on the Master's face.

"They always are. I thought hostile aliens would be a bigger threat then a gang, why aren't you going after them?"

"They're not doing anything. They crash landed and the entire industrial area was covered in some sort of gas which kills anyone there." Wu looked slightly pained as he continued "Many people died there including my family. The poorer housing near the factories were shrouded in gas almost immediately, killed hundreds."

The Master didn't look sympathetic, it was just facts to him. "how do you know this is a 'evil alien' scenario?" He asked. "It could be ship that just crashed and had some sort of reaction. Fuel explosion or something."

"We sent a team in the earlier days, before the gangs got out of hand. They wore protective clothing-"

"get to the point, Wu" The Master interrupted.

"They saw things in the gas, living. They were attacked and never heard of again. People go missing. We've told people it's the gangs but it's not, we know the things in the smog are taking people but we don't know why. I have a few theories myself, if you'd like to hear them?"

"ENOUGH" Came a shout from behind. Major baines had found his voice. "You've already told him more then I permitted you, lieutenant." Wu shrank into the corner. "you ,time-lord" he addressed the Master. "I'm going to brief you here, because I can't stand the sight of you. Lieutenant you may leave." Wu stumbled towards the door.

"Time-lord? I have a name." The Master told him.

"A name that I refuse to use. It sounds like you're in control." The Major's face was red. he still was recovering from what the Master had said to him

"I know it's good, isn't it?" The Master happily chirped. "So briefing? Like I'm one of your solders. Another weapon in your arsenal?"

"Exactly. I've assembled a team, gathered information on the gang who call themselves 'the hawks'. Most importantly I know where their leader, Flass, is based. The old park has been under their control for a while now. Apparently they've built a few attractions for themselves: a race course for their bikes, a animal fighting ring, a regular fighting ring, a prison and a luxury centre where Flass and his closest accomplices are based. Join the team, kill Flass."

"Is that it? Just kill him?" The Master expected a much bigger objective.

"Yes. You're to meet Captain Grimes in 7 hours. I recommend you get some sleep." the large solder who the Master completely forgot about grabbed him by the back of the neck.

"Hang on." The Master said. "I almost forgot. I have a friend." He put odd emphasis on the word, like it was something he hadn't meant in a long time. "What happens to her?" The Major paused in thought.

"She's a doctor, isn't she?"

"Ironically yes." The Master rolled his eyes as he answered.

"Then she can go with you. Another medic. I'm sure you can brief her tomorrow." And with that the large solder pulled the Master back to his cell.


	7. Chapter 7

It was early morning in the Army base. Capt. Crimes lit up his cigarette. He shouldn't be smoking if he wanted to stay in top shape and he knew it but this operation was big and the stress was going to get to him if he didn't. Sgt. Lake wondered up already carrying his assault rifle.

"aye, aye Grimes." Lake called out as he joined the Captain in the middle of the courtyard.

"Shut it, Lake." Grimes replied. "And that's Captain Grimes to you."

"My, my. Temper, temper." Lake had lent back against the flag pole showcasing the colony colours.

"What are you so smug about?" Grimes snarled.

"I'm joining your mission." He smirked whilst talking

"You what? Why?" Grimes tried to keep his cool but failed.

"Someones got to take care of the two we're dragging along."

"Great, so we've got three rookies on a very important stealth mission into the heart of enemy territory. What the fuck is the Major thinking?"

"Steady on. I'm no rookie. I'm a Sergeant."

"By default." Grimes took a long puff of his cigarette. "What's your job on the mission anyway?"

"I'll be keeping an eye on the two we're going with. As I said. Keeping them safe and stop them doing anything stupid. I've spent a little time with them, probably why i was picked to keep them. The bloke, he's an odd sort but, I don't know, just seems like he can handle himself."

"Hopefully he's better then you." Grimes took another puff, Lake ignored him and carried on talking.

"The girl seems OK. She's a doctor so she'll be able to help the medic."

"It's a stealth op. We don't need medics as we're not supposed to be compromised."

"always plan for the worst. It won't go smoothly, y'know." Lake casually informed Grimes.

"Thanks for your faith, lake. No, it won't go smoothly if I have to drag you three around." He violently threw his burnt out cigarette on the floor and stamped it with unnecessary force. There was a pause in the conversation before Lake asked about the group the major was with last night." They left earlier, didn't look happy. Especially not their leader. I reckon he had an argument with the major." A large cream van then pulled into the courtyard. "What the fu-" Grimes muttered.

A women stepped out of the passenger side, she was well dressed and unlike most women around had managed to do something nice with her hair. Or more what she thought was nice. From the fake tan and bleach blond to her impossible wast and breast size it was clear she lived in wealth and wanted to look perfect. Despite her efforts she still was not a good looking woman. As the two solders moved towards the van a crew moved out of the back.

"The press." Lake's voice came from behind Grimes and he nodded in agreement.

"How do I look?" The woman asked a second woman, who looked rather bored.

"OK." The second woman responded with no enthusiasm.

"Just OK. No that's not good enough." The first woman undid a few of her top buttons. "Better?"

"Great." The second woman replied with the same enthusiasm.

"Hey, do you mind clearing off some place else? Now." Captain Grimes asked but only taking one answer. The 'glamorous' woman turned around to look the captain in the eyes.

"Freedom of the press. We can go anywhere we like, thank you. Lisa either get them interviews or get rid of them." The second Woman, Lisa, spoke with exasperation.

"Stop treating me like your assistant. They're not my job. Franklin your boss wants you." A man emerged from the other side of the van.

"I heard her, Lisa. Don't you worry now." He turned to the first woman "I'm on it Mrs. Vanalart."

"Stupid name." Captain Grimes said bluntly. Franklin and Mrs. Vanalart spun around with open mouths. Franklin gave an odd walk that was supposedly intimidating.

"Don't you talk about her like that." This man's camp voice would no doubt inhabit Grimes' nightmares for weeks. "Like she's some kinda trash." The word virgin sprung up in Grimes' mind. "She's the Queen 'round here even if you don't know it,soldier boy. She could turn your name to mud like that." He clicked his fingers to demonstrate how quickly Grimes' name would become mud. A different clicking sound came from the right of Grimes followed by Lake loudly saying

"Safety off." One of the few things Lake had done that Grimes approved of.

"Oh, you too. You're in deep trouble as well." Franklin turned to Lake. Lake just raised his rifle and Franklin did a strange hop back to Mrs. Vanalart and Lisa.

"Fine we'll film a different part of the base first." Mrs. Vanalart said. "See you around." She said to the soldiers and she, Franklin, Lisa and the rest of the crew moved away from the court yard.

The Master sat around a table in a converted cafeteria for the soldiers. A large man entered from the double doors on the far side. He was obviously here for his breakfast. He looked half dressed, partly in uniform and partly in other more casual clothes. A symbol of a pumping heart was on his shoulder, identifying him as a medic. The medic looked over at the food counter and his face fell. He waddled over to the Master and asked "did I miss breakfast?"

"I.. Don't think so, it's pretty early. How should I know?" The Master gestured for him to move along. Instead the medic sat down next him and let out a strange laugh.

"So are you going into combat or just got out? I know that attitude." The medic began to manoeuvre his chair around to face the Master directly.

"Both. Can you not talk to me? I'd rather think not talk right now." The Master turned his chair in the opposite direction but the medic grabbed it and spun the chair back around.

"Sometimes talking helps sooth the pain." The medic said. He held out a pudgy hand. "Arnold Macmillan at your service, sir." The Master begrudgingly shook hands. "Well, what might I call you?" Macmillan asked.

"Gospodar, John Gospodar." The Master replied.

"never heard of a name like that is it-" Macmillan started to ask a question but a loud clatter came from the food counter. A man appeared from behind the counter. "Jack." Macmillan called out.

"Arnold." Jack nodded and began to dish out some strange purple gloop. Macmillan waddled back over to fetch a tray. The double doors opened from the far side again and Nicole walked in. She spotted the Master and sat opposite him.

"Morning hair?" The Master asked.

"Shut up." Nicole answered as her hands tangled with her hair which was all over the place. A loud noise came from the left of the Master as Macmillan sat back down.

"mmm." He said loudly. "MMMM."

"Enjoying that? Nicole asked.

"mm-mm" Macmillan replied. He thrust his spoon in front of the Master's face. "You'll want to try some of that." The master stared at the purple gloop for a moment before answering.

"no thanks. I don't eat... that." Macmillan moved the spoon towards Nicole who immediately shook her head, never taking her eyes off the spoon. "Your loss." he said as he shovelled the purple gloop into his mouth. "hey, are you two the ones joining the mission later?"

"yeah." The Master knew what was coming now.

"great, I'm on there. I'm the medic. You'll be that doctor then." he gestured his spoon at Nicole, spraying her in purple gloop. "Could always use extra help. I'm staying out of the way. I'm one of the best here at fixing wounds but I'm not built for stealth, surprised I got picked."

That's when the doors opened again and a large group carrying various gear entered the cafeteria. In front was a woman who clearly thought a lot of herself. She had to people either side of her. On her left was a man who clearly thought a lot of her and on the right another woman who clearly didn't think a lot of her.

"oh, my. How quaint." The woman said as she looked around. She signalled her two companions and walked, with unusually large steps, over to the three of them. She held out her hand for the Master "local press. Name's Vanalart. Willing to answer a few questions handsome?"

"No sorry." Macmillan answered, assuming she was talking to him. Vanalart gave a shrill and very fake sounding laugh which made Nicole grit her teeth. Thankfully at that moment captain Grimes stepped in.

"Macmillan!" He bellowed. "We're moving out, all of us." With that everyone left the dinning hall with Vanalart shooting questions at them. The Master thought that hopefully questions would be the only thing shot at him but he knew better then to rely on hope.


	8. Chapter 8

There were about ten people in the truck. Two in the front (Captain Grimes and the driver) and eight in the back including the Master, Nicole, the medic Macmillan and one of their guards Sgt. lake. Macmillan was anxiously questioning Nicole about her medical knowledge. The Master looked around at his fellow travellers. They didn't look anywhere close to being able to perform a assassination behind enemy lines. Everyone was sweating and looked as though they were as clueless as the Master. 'This isn't really about completing the mission.' The Master thought to himself. 'This is about the major wanting to feel like he's doing something rather then letting the streets go to riot, plus whatever unspeakable horror was awaiting the colony in the infected zone. Nicole was starting to go very pale, she had no experience in this what so ever. The girl was starting to grow on him, if something bad happened to her, he couldn't help feeling a little responsible, he'd got her into this. in fact, he'd practically volunteered her with the major. The Master always thought the Doctor must have picked up his humans by looking for young vulnerable women. But maybe it was like this, they just followed him and ended up bonding. The Master gave a quick shudder at the thought of always having a human questioning everything you do. Lucy had learnt quickly that too many questions wouldn't end well for her, but the Doctors 'friends' never stopped asking what he was doing and where he was going. The thought of it would drive him mad, well, madder anyway. The truck gave a sharp jolt. Sgt. lake sat bolt upright and held his sub-machine gun close to his chest. The master noticed that he actually looked more afraid then Nicole. Lake had spent most of the trip with his face buried deep in his hands and sometimes exhaling deeply.

A loud knocking sound came from the front of the truck and Grimes voice echoed after it.

"This is it everyone. So shut up and hope they don't hear you breathing." A few short time later there were mumblings heard from outside. Occasionally shouts and screams of both fear and joy were heard. The truck came to a halt and capt. Grimes opened the back. The solders crept out into some sort of make shift warehouse. It wasn't massive but could keep the lorry inside with some room for the soldiers to move. Grimes organised the team into groups of three. He would lead one to investigate the sound of screaming deeper into the area. Lake would lead the second to look for clues about the location of Flass, the hawk leader and their target, whilst the third would stay with the truck and keep a clear escape route. With that the group began to disperse. No organisation, no back up plan, no nothing. This has to be the worst military operation in the history of the universe. Nicole was staying at the truck with Macmillan. The Master followed Grimes and two other solders outside. The area was not what he was expecting. He was back in the forest where he started. Except it was a different area. This part was a massive clearing with makeshift wooden structures littered across the place, it resembled a shanty town. There was a immense circular building in the centre akin to a Roman Colosseum. This is where the shouting and screaming was coming from.

"Let's check it out." Grimes told them and they snuck around the buildings overhearing gang members sleazy conversations. One time Grimes shot two men dead in disgust when they were talking about the best rape techniques. While the Master appreciated his will power and efficiency in dealing with such scum they needed to leave as little evidence as possible. It wasn't too long before they reached the Colosseum. After sneaking past some guards. They found an opening in the dodgy woodwork to view what was happening. It didn't just look like a Colosseum, it was a Colosseum. The Master and the soldiers watched with the crowd of thugs as a wild animal is stabbed by a large man with 'champian' tattooed onto his back.

"It's spelt c h a m p i o n" The Master muttered under his breath.

"I've seem enough." Grimes said. "These aren't just thugs, they've become barbarians."

"Sir?" One of the soldiers asked. "Is that Flass? Up there in the box like stand?" Sure enough there was someone looking very important up there. He was a sly looking alien with grungy green hair and purple skin that resembled scales. Other then that he was vaguely human.

"No." Grimes replied. "That's Yosov. The brains of the hawks. If you ask me he'd make a better target then Flass. The only reason Flass is in charge is because he can beat Yosov down. if it weren't..." Grimes never got the chance to finish when the sound of a explosion tore through the air. The Master darted back to get a clear view of what was going on. There was fire and smoke coming from the warehouse where they left the truck. Without saying a word the master sprinted through the camp ignoring all the hawk members in his way, they were preoccupied with wondering what was happening as well. The Master arrived to find the truck had exploded and the wooden warehouse on fire. The Master paused to examine the wreckage. One of the Hawks nearby recognised him as an outsider and pieced together that he must have something to do with it.

"Hey you!" The hawk exclaimed as he reached for a weapon. Before he could make a further move he collapsed holding his chest in pain screaming. The Master turned around to see who had injured the hawk and saw Grimes and his two soldiers running with their guns raised. More Hawks were starting to appear now and the Master knew he shouldn't be out in the open so he ran into the building. Only when he was inside did he think he's actually in just as much danger inside a weak burning building as outside with armed thugs. Regardless he pushed deeper into the complex but he didn't get very far. There was one room not up in flames. It was half outside, whether this was intentional or if it wasn't finished wasn't clear but the room wasn't what the Master was looking at. A group of Hawks were standing, each with a hostage, spread out across the room. Grimes and his followers ran in and immediately stopped.

"well, nice work with that guy outside anyway captain." The Master complimented Grimes.

"Me?" Grimes asked. "I thought you got him."

"With what? He must have had really bad heart burn or something." Though the collapsing Hawk was odd they had more pressing matters right now.

"SHUT UP" Came a familiar voice from behind them. The Master turned to see Sgt. Lake without a captor. He was covered in sweat and his eyes were wider with fear then what should be humanly possible. Lake was pointing his gun towards Grimes. "Drop the guns captain."

"You traitorous bastard." Grimes spoke with a terrifying rage. It wasn't shouting but there was something unnerving about it. Grimes raised his weapon towards Lake but Lake was already locked on. Afraid and unable to think clearly Lake shot his captain down. The room turned silent with only the sound of flames crackling in the background audible. Lake looked past everyone and stuttered.

"F-F-Flass." The Master turned to see a large creature with piercing eyes. He looked at everyone with raw hatred. This must be Flass.


	9. Chapter 9

"Caged again?" The Master asked as he looked around his 'cell'. It was more like a cage. The Master, Nicole and the surviving solders were all being held in surprisingly strong wooden cages. They were surrounded by Hawks throwing rocks and abuse at them.

"Get lost you freaks. Scram." Flass was ordering them. "Take them in." He told the captors with a devil like smile. The cages were pulled on wheels towards the Colosseum. Flass was a nasty piece of work. He was an over sized alien. The Master wasn't even entirely sure what species he was, the Master had no time to research the lowest species in the universe. Humans, despite their short comings, had still achieved great influences and the Master saw first hand that they even lived until the end of the universe. Although he would never admit it the human race was worthy of some attention. Unlike whatever Flass was. He looked like a cross between a toad and a cat. Bright red colouring covered him from the tips of his pointy ears to his bare feet. The cages were pushed into a side entrance of the Colosseum. A familiar face was there.

"Welcome to prison." Said Yosov, the green hair reptilian man who'd been watching the last fight. "I'm the warden and you'd best do as you're told." He smirked.

"We've got no food for them, Yosov." Flass growled.

"oh, then we'd best get them out there quick. That one." Yosov gestured at one of the solders who was swiftly taken through another opening.

"Where's he off to? Can't I come?" The Master asked.

"If you're lucky, you can go out and die quick instead of staving in here." Yosov replied and left through a side door followed by Flass. There were a few guards left in the room now.

"I can't believe it went this badly." Macmillan was saying to no one in particular. "Surely we'll be rescued before long." The Master gave a quick snort.

"No one will come." The Master looked around the small dirty area they were kept in. "We're not important enough. I think the major might want me dead anyway. I mean, why else send me on an army job with no guns. I don't like guns anyway, too clumsy, but you get the point."

"The major wouldn't..." Macmillan began but the Master aggressively interrupted.

"Your major is corrupt. He just won't admit it. He's not taking bribes or anything so crude. He's just an old solder who wants a war." There was silence for the next hour or so as one by one the survivors were thrown out into the ring, into death. It was a depressingly short amount of time before there were just three left, the Master, Macmillan and Nicole. When the hawk came to pick up a new prisoner there was some hesitation. Macmillan was deemed 'too fat' to be a much of a challenge and Nicole was 'too woman'. Which just left the Master. Nicole watched as his cage was pulled away. Was he protecting her at this point? Or was he still her responsibility? Either way she had to think of a way to get out and save him.

The crowd roared as 'the next contender' was brought in. The Master only noticed how big the arena was once inside it. The cage was pushed into the centre of the arena which only contained a few trees and the corpses of the fallen. The champion was standing triumphant over his last kill wielding a over sized battle axe. The cage door flew open and the Master had little choice but to walk out into dust. The floor itself still felt like a Forrest floor, just with few tress to be seen. Roots and stumps were left in odd places and patches of green grass and brown mud covered the arena.

"Beg and I will make it quick." Came a booming voice from behind. The champion had walked menacingly over, swing his battle axe over his head.

"oh, look. It's the spelling bee champion. That's champion with an O by the way." The Master was relaxed as he taunted the over sized human. The Master decided the best course of action was properly running. He turned and sprinted towards the largest tree in the arena. it wasn't long before he heard a swishing sound followed by a rip. The split second the Master turned to see what had happened the champion was on him, he was much faster then anticipated. In a swift hit the Master was on the floor, he barely had time to roll slightly to the left before the axe smashed the area where his head had been half a second before. The Master had never fought 'fair'. Never. When playing fighting games as a child he'd cheated. When in real fights as a teenager he'd gone for some below the belt tactics. As an adult he'd used deception and trickery. He'd told his friends it was always better then to be a dishonourable winner then Honourable looser. After all, you'd just won so who cares. The Master placed a well aimed kick at the champion's groin. The champion staggered slightly as the Master once more ran as fast as he could towards the tree. The crowd both booed and laughed as the champion regained his composure. "That ought to slow you down." The Master called back as he reached the tree. He climbed up the first few branches and the axe chopped off a branch his foot had just been on. The tree was too overgrown for a man of his size, but the Master could scrape through. The axe kept swinging past but to little effect now.

"Get down here!" The champion shouted.

"No." The Master replied. He was safe for now. Unless the champion thought to actually use his axe to cut down the tree. He properly wasn't allowed. Trees might be good for some of the animals or something. Then again this man might just be that thick. There was also the issue of what to do now. He couldn't just stay in this tree. It wasn't exactly fitting for 'your lord and master' to hide in a tree. He broke off a small branch wondering if it could be used as a weapon. Even if it could he still wouldn't last long against a man that size with a much bigger, better weapon. A sudden shake interrupted his ideas. The champion had began to climb the tree. Idiot. Muscles that big have some downsides. The Master went for his second 'unfair' tactic and thrust his stick deep into the man's eye. He screamed lost his grip on the tree. Falling several meters and dropping his battle axe. Now the Master seized his opportunity. Leaping down from the tree the Master grabbed the axe and attempted to swing it in the air. Unfortunately the axe was far too heavy and he instead ended up falling on his back. A loud roaring noise came from behind. The champion must be about to strike the Master thought. He jumped to his feet and started to run, his plan to use the axe had failed, but was struck in the back of the head by the champion's punch. The hit had reduced him to all fours but none the less he managed to make getaway. Thinking quickly he ran to one of the soldiers bodies. Surely the Hawks must have missed something. The men may of had some equipment on them, not that it did them much good. The champion was struggling to regain his composure. He'd retrieved the battle axe but was flailing around wincing in pain. The Master reached into the many pockets of his dead teammate and eventually found something. A smoke grenade. The champion was almost upon him now so with no time to loose the Master threw it. The champion spent the time coughing whilst the Master spent the time running to the other side of the arena. This was pointless. He thought to himself. It'll keep going until one of us dies. I've got no way to fight. Well, I'm going out screaming like a coward. Although I'd rather not go out at all. Especially not murdered by thugs on some nothing colony.

"SMOKE!" Came a shout from the crowd. Only just noticed, the Master thought. These fools have the attention span of... More screams and shouts interrupted the Master's thoughts.

"IT'S BURNING!" Came another shout then a all mighty crashing sound thundered across the landscape. Part of the arena itself was collapsing. Tasting freedom the Master dashed off towards it. He reached the rubble. It was indeed weak infrastructure. It had gone down with the smallest fire. A fire that had begun to spread across to the Colosseum sides. The Master clambered over the wooden remains. The fire hadn't burned much but the the whole thing was so badly made that a few years of rainfall would of done the trick anyway. A hawk member was holding a pistol at someone. The Master was in a good position so he took a chunk of wood, snuck up behind him (not too hard in the smoke) and smashed the block into the man's head. He hadn't liked guns much but decided it was necessary to take this one and looked for who the man had been attacking. It didn't long. A grin spread across his face as walked up to Nicole.

"Well, well. Did you do that?" He asked feeling rather proud at the destruction the human had brought to their enemies. She was actually looking a lot worse for wear. There was blood all down her left side and she was clearly trembling slightly. She's all so new to this the Master thought, she'd still done pretty well.

"Look out." Nicole said, sounding like she wasn't sure to whisper or shout. The Master spun around to see the champion emerging from the smoke raising his axe once more. The Master shot him in the chest and the man dropped to the floor breathing sharply.

"Beg and will make it quick." The Master told his victim.

"You don't have the will, little man." The champion spat. "You are weak. Look at you. Men in suits can not... Can not.." The champion broke off clutching his wound.

"You are the little man around here." The Master began to mock, the feeling of having this man who'd humiliated him in front of so many dieing at his feet was exhilarating. "The universe hasn't even been dented by your meaningless existence, you leave nothing. I am the Master." He raised the gun. "Your master." And swiftly put a bullet in the man's heart. After standing panting over the man's body he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on. We have to go." Nicole said

Nicole heard the roar of the crowd as the Master was taken through to the arena. She studied the room quickly but to no avail. Although, there was just one guard left in there now. The others had left as the number of prisoners were reduced. Giving up all dignity Nicole pleaded to the guard. "Please you've got to get me out of here. I don't want to die. I'll do anything." The guard walked over to her and stared into her eyes for a few long seconds. He then unlocked the cage. Nicole just stood there in shock. It had actually worked. Macmillan was also just staring open mouthed from his cage.

"Didn't think I'd do it huh?" The guard was saying. His voice was gritty and sounded barely used. "This is how we get bitches. Yeah, you're pretty much my slave, love." He gave a wicked grin. The idiot had left his club like weapon dangling harmlessly from his hand, Nicole instinctively snatched it and smacked the man across the side of his head and he fell to the floor senseless.

"Nicole!" Macmillan was whispering with urgency. "Get me out." Nicole still couldn't believe how she'd escaped and a man by herself but she'd done it and rescued a soldier. Now she had to save the Master as well. "Come on." Macmillan was saying. "We have to get out of here. Return to the base."

"What about him?" She gestured to the arena. Macmillan hopped from one foot to the other.

"We..We can't..It's to dangerous. better to save ourselves then all die.

"No. We can't just leave him."

"We've got to. I don't like it either but..." before Macmillan could explain Nicole had begun to walk off outside. Macmillan breathed a sigh of relief. "Glad you saw reason."

"Actually we're going to find a way from the outside." Nicole said with far more confidence then she felt.

"w..We?" Macmillan stuttered as he followed from behind. The way back was short, just a simple corridor until they were outside. They crept along the edges of the Colosseum until Nicole spotted some vehicles around an animal cage. There were a pair of hawks taunting the creature inside with fire. "Yes, good idea. We can use them to escape." Macmillan muttered.

"or." Nicole countered. "We could take the fluid from the cars and fire they've got and burn the building behind us."

"Are you insane?" Macmillan panicked. "How would we do all that unnoticed?"

"They won't hear anything over the racket they're making and look the people with the fire are moving away now." Nicole quietly ran over the beast's cage. It was clearly a carnivorous animal. It's large sharp teeth and claws confirmed that. Taking an awful risk she shattered the lock on the cage and the creature roared with approval. The two thugs came back from around the side of the van they'd gone to only to find the beast begin to rear it's head towards them. It had four options to take, the two people who'd just released it or the two that had been causing it pain and distress. Naturally the beast leaped at the two thugs and tore one down. The other dropped his flaming torch and ran with the beast soon in pursuit. Nicole had spent the time gathering the flammable fluid from the vehicles dotted around and moved threw it on the Colosseum sides. Soon Macmillan either plucked up the courage or had resigned to what she planned to do and also shifted the fluid as well. They both placed their torches on the fluid and the structure lit up far quicker then either had expected. They both ran to find cover as the weak building gave way. They soon found themselves watching the flames consume the building from a safe distance. Safe from the fire anyway. A shot was fired and Nicole felt a spray of blood from her left as Macmillan crumpled to the floor.

"I GOT HIM!" Came a shout. Nicole dived to the floor and began to crawl across the ground. The smoke was doing an effective job masking her from the attacker. She turned to see where he was and saw a large piece of wood clobber the man in the head. It was the Master. Nicole scrambled to her feet. He was looking a lot worse for wear. His suit, which was actually Steven's, which was actually hers, was torn and shredded. A large gash was across the back and there were twigs and dirt stuck all across it. He was still sporting his boyish grin when he saw her though so he was otherwise fine.

"Well, well. Did you do that?" He asked with approval. Then a large figure emerged from the smoke. He was clearly in pain but had such rage as he drew his over sized axe.

"Look out." Nicole tried to shout but lost her voice. The Master span on the spot and fired a gun at the man. The man collapsed on the ground as the Master walked closer towards him. She got that same feeling emitting from him as she did when he stabbed her attacker the day before. What the men were saying to one another she couldn't hear but the Master had raised his gun. Nicole turned away as she heard the gun shot. The Master had frozen over his executed victim. She walked over to him, they weren't safe yet, and put her hand on his shoulder. "Come on. We have to go." She said.

**_Well this has been my longest chapter so far and it's been some work. Also the first chapter I've written after submiting the first 8 together in one go. I'm greatfull for any and all reviews (just don't flame me)._**


	10. Chapter 10

The Master and Nicole set a brisk pace through the trees. They'd chosen to keep off the main path as it was no doubt filled with hawks looking for their attackers. Nicole had been telling the Master about her escape and rescue, which the master was impressed with. Not bad for a human he had said. He'd then asked her about Macmillan which Nicole simply shook her head about. The Master gave a sigh but nothing else on the matter. They'd been in silence for a while now.

"Where are we actually going?" The Master asked.

"I thought you were leading?" Nicole replied. The Master sighed again.

"We need to get to the path, it's the only way we'll find a way out of this place. After some thought Nicole had to agree. They followed the shouts to find a route they could use. It didn't take as long as Nicole had feared. Now they had a path to follow however there were foes scattered across their way. Most of them could be avoided by staying in the shadows, the average hawk member was stupid and now confused by the collapse of their stadium. But there had been one that the Master had to take out with his stolon gun.

"There's the gates to the main city." Nicole pointed over a slight hill. "It's right by that statue." the top of a large statue was visible over the hill. "Not too far." She said to herself as much as to the Master. He nodded and set off in front of her. When Nicole reached the top of the hill she was relieved to see the familiar gateway. A huge fountain stood centre of a large pathway surrounded by dense trees and shrubbery. The fountain was large enough to swim in with a statues of angels in the middle. The sun was starting to set across the buildings in the background. It would of been a great sight had it not been for the situation.

"Short days, this planet." The Master casually noted and he walked down the hill towards the statue of Nigarath the colony founder and the large iron gates. As the pair got closer to their goal the shrubs on the left suddenly started to shake and moments later man ran out.

"He's one of the soldiers!" Nicole gasped. "One survived." She made a move over but the Master grabbed her.

"Sgt. Lake, the traitor." he simply said. Lake was muttering to himself. He'd come to a stop by the fountain and lent on its side, his rifle firmly grasped and pointed towards the bushes from which he came. "Come on." The Master said.

"What are we gonna do?" Nicole asked.

"Ask him why he sold us out." the Master replied but as the pair got closer the shrubs on the right began to shake as well.

"Please no." Lake muttered as he spun around raising his gun once more. Out of bushes came Flass.

"Just what we need." The Master spat.

"Thank God. It's only you." Lake spoke with obvious relief. His relief was unjustified as Flass marched up to him and smacked the gun out of his hands. Flass grabbed him by the neck and threw him into the fountain. Lake spluttered and struggled to get out of the fountain. Once more Flass grabbed him.

"You burned down our arena!" Flass screamed.

"I...no." Lake stuttered. Flass threw him across the cobblestones. He landed at the master's feet.

"You." Flass pointed at the Master.

"Oh, alright then. It's me." The Master waved his arms into the air. Flass roared and charged at him. "Run." He said under his breath to Nicole. She didn't need telling twice and darted into the trees but kept watch just out of sight. The Master had pulled out the pistol he was carrying and fire two shoots. The first whizzed harmlessly past Flass, the second grazed his shoulder but did no real damage to the massive alien. There was a bone crushing sound as Flass slammed into the Master who'd tried to dodge a second too late. The pistol had been knocked to far away for the Master to use. As he tried to reach his feet Flass kicked him back to the floor. Then a gun shot and a scream from Flass. lake had grabbed the pistol and fired on his attacker. Flass charged once more and the some bone crunching sound was heard this time accompanied by a grunt of pain by Lake. Nicole moved for a better look and saw Flass choking the Sgt. The Master was on his feet now but seemed unsure what to do. He moved behind the fountain to put distance between him and Flass but other then that he seemed stuck. The it ran out at him. The Master had just noticed the rifle lake had been carrying when the beast Nicole recognised as the same on she'd released earlier emerged from the shrubs. It tilted its head to the side slightly before opening its mouth and running at the Master. He'd barely had time to react when he spotted it. The Master had jumped into the fountain with a cry of "what the hell are you?" And swam towards the angels in the centre. The noise was enough to gain Flass's attention and he looked up and saw the creature. The two eyed each other up before the creature hissed and charged, it's tail flailing dangerously behind it. Flass also ran at the creature, he was significantly bigger, and the two collided. The creatures jaws and tail slashed at Flass as Flass pummelled the creatures body with his fists in return. Eventually the two broke away. Although the creature had shed no blood it had undoubtedly been hurt, Flass however looked far worse. He was covered in deep cuts and even had a chunk of his flesh missing. Flass struck the creature across the side of it's head and grabbed it's long neck, with his other hand he grasped it's head and shattered it's neck. Flass's victory was short lived however as the creatures blood reigned down on him. Flass screamed like it was acid and threw himself into the fountain. "oh, hello." The Master said. "No splashing." As the master was just climbing out of the fountain Flass grabbed him and attempted the drown him. Nicole saw this is as the time to get involved. She ran to the fountain and picked up lake's rifle.

"Let him go!" She said as she pointed it at Flass. Flass paused then moved slightly and the Master burst to the suffice gasping for air. He climbed out of the water and collapsed on all fours on the ground. Flass attempted to follow. He reach the fountain side when he finally gave into his many injuries. Flass fell face down into the water. Dead. Nicole dropped the rifle and went over to see Flass. The water was mixed with blood, it was a horrible sight. But Flass had to be dead. She turned to find the Master. He was standing over the creatures body, probing it with the rifle. Aside from being very wet he seemed OK.

"What is that?" He asked.

"I don't know." She answered. "but it may have saved your life twice, indirectly but still you owe it."

"It tried to kill me, I don't 'owe' it anything. So it's not local?"

"No. Well." She looked a little closer. "Actually it looks a little like a twinarach."

"Twinarach?"

"Yeah. It's got that sort of body shape and the eyes. The eyes are what they're famous for. See anything. But a twinarach isn't dangerous. Some people have then as pets, not the most social things but they're really gentle."

"uh-huh." The Master was still staring at it. The beast was smaller then a man, about the size of a large dog but the teeth and tail looked like daggers and the body was warped like a horror monster.

"I'm sorry." Came a voice from behind. Lake had staggered over. "I just wanted some.."

"I don't care what you wanted." The Master interrupted. "You almost got me killed. Turned me over to these brutes."

"and killed Grimes, Macmillan and everyone else." Nicole added.

"Yeah them too." The Master said.

"Take me to the major. I'll stand trial. i won't bring you any trouble." Lake shook his head. "I just want to be away from here."

"Won't cause us any trouble?" Lake shook his head again. "hmm. No." The Master said and shot him. Without a second glance he dropped the rifle and walked towards the gates.

_**Well I'm sure you know what the creature is but none of the characters do. It's a bit weak and has eyes here because of it's host was a twinarach (that I just completly made up). As always I'd like a review if you can. Also thanks BlueNeutrino for the kind reviews so far :)**_


	11. Chapter 11

A few hours had passed since the fight at the park entrance. The pair had put some distance between them and any possible pursuers so they'd decided to take a rest in one of the disused buildings they'd found. They were in the lobby of a once prestigious hotel. It was now a grimy run down mess but it was some for of refuge as rain had begun to fall outside. They sat opposite one another eating some of the surprisingly well kept food from the kitchen.

It was a long while before Nicole finally asked why the Master killed Lake so casually, without a second glance. "He was a man asking for mercy." She'd said. The Master gave a grim smile.

"I've dealt with traitors before. Believe me, they'll end up causing more damage if you let them go."

"We could of taken him back to the major. Make him face justice for what he did."

"He faced justice. We're not going back to the army anyway." The Master took another bite from his meal.

"We're not? Where are we going?"

"Don't know yet."

"Do you just make this up as you go along?"

"Sort of. But once I've got a plan then I'll see it through even if it takes years." he paused for a moment. "Here's a plan. There are supposed to be three armed groups here including the army, correct?"

"yeah."

"I've only met two. How about this third group? Why don't we pay them a visit?"

"Not a chance. I don't trust them."

"Wise. Never trust anyone."

"Even you?"

"Especially me if you know what's good for you."

"What do you plan to do then? If we see the HDL?"

"Find a way out of this place. Whole universe to explore."

"That's it then. Just leave this place and everyone in it to rot?"

"What do you expect me to do?"

"Well if you're such an all powerful genus I'd like you to see if you can help. There's always something for you to do here, someone you can help." The master just sort of shrugged unsure of himself. "How did you get here? When I found you, you were unconscious in the middle of the forest with no idea of where you were or how you got here. You didn't even know what you looked like." The Master lent far back into his chair and rubbed his face.

"It's a very long story."

"I can make time." Nicole quickly replied. The Master sighed. He really looked like he didn't want to talk about it, like he was afraid. None the less he began.

"Earth, 2009 Christmas day. My best friend and my worst enemy, a man called the Doctor. A time-lord like me. I'd cheated death once more and swiftly assumed total control of the entire planet with no casualties." The Master had a lot of pride in his voice at the last part.

"You expect me to believe that?" Nicole had her eyebrow raised. "They'd be some record."

"Oh, no one will remember. To them it's all a few missing hours... and missiles."

"So no one knows. There's a coincidence."

"Do you want to hear this or not?"

"Sorry."

"Anyway I was in control and he just had a ragtag group of an old man and two humanoid cacti." Nicole's eyebrow had risen even higher and the Master decided not to tell her about his 'master-race' as that brow wouldn't take the strain. "Remember the war I told you about? When my people died? Well that's the thing about time, in someways it's over but in others it was happening right then, right now. In the event of a war time-lords would 'lock' the conflict confining it to certain areas and time zones. I found a way to break through that lock. I could bring them out, save them. So that's what I did. But I didn't know, I wasn't there at the end of the war. The Time-lords, my people, they'd gone mad. They planned to defeat their enemies by destroying everything, even time itself. And they called me mad, even I wouldn't go that far, it's just ridiculous. So when I saved 'the great' lord Rassilon and his closest aides they turn on me. Because in his words I was a disease to be purged. Then the Doctor came and cured my disease. He wouldn't let them kill me. After everything I did to him, I was even the link keeping the Time-lords from falling back into the war, the Doctor went to save me. It cost him his life. Or it would of done. The Doctor's plan had him sacrifice his life to force Rassilon back into the war but I thought of something else. Maybe, just maybe, I could do the saving. I did it, I saved him. But i fell back into the time-war with Rassilon. I managed to escape from them and find a rudimentary TARDIS. That's a kind of time travel machine. I could only go to different sections of the war but it was enough. I left the Time-war in the early days before, ran away after I saw the daleks take the Cruciform, the head of the time-lord fleet and that was terrifying. But I missed those glorious middle days. When the time-lords began to realise they had all that power. At the start of the war despite loosing Davros the daleks had the advantage, the middle belonged to time-lords. We developed new weapons, new tactics, new ideas. And it was good. But the daleks fought back and new horrors emerged because of the war. Time guardians disturbed by time lord actions, monsters and AIs created by the daleks who had turned on their creators. I explored that war over and over with no side to take just looking for an exit, even saw my old self at one point, never said hello due to time lines still having to be kept blah, blah, blah. Rassilon was still demanding my blood and the daleks would never side with what they saw as in inferior being, besides I'd never want to be on their side anyway. So i just ended up fighting everything that came my way. Until I met 'freedom'. That was her name. Just like myself and the Doctor she'd shed her original name and was using freedom instead because that's what she was fighting for. She'd seen how Rassilon had assumed control and how the time-lords were becoming very much like daleks. She'd formed a group dedicated to toppling the corrupt regime Rassilon had built and she'd her tales of the Master. She knew I was a renegade and she knew what I'd done before the start of the war but all that mattered was that I was against Rassilon. So she sought me out, found me eventually and I'm ashamed to say beat me fair and square. Then made me the offer. I was reluctant at first but I had no allies and Freedom herself was quite the charmer." He gave quick laugh to himself. "It actually went pretty well, we recruited more people in the hundreds and struck key targets of people, weapons, building and ships across both time-lord and dalek empires, myself and Freedom manged to assassinate Rassilon's closest aide. Then we heard the stories. The dalek emperor was after a new hyperwepeon called 'the moment'. We had no idea what it was. Some said it was a heavily modified time-lord de-mat Gun. Others said it was what lay in the heart of a TARDIS, I even heard it could be what the Skaro Degradations could be guarding. But we had to get it. We tracked it down and came so close. We were betrayed, one of our people had been with Rassilon. They shipped the key that would enable us the reach the moment off world. I was about to kill him but Freedom said to let him go. We got new information though on where the key had been moved to. But it was a trap. Our filthy traitor had given us a false lead. We ended up staring down at the guns of thousands of daleks and Freedom didn't.. she didn't make it. the daleks had adapted their weapons to kill a time-lord not just cause regeneration. She didn't stand a chance. That's why i couldn't spare Lake like you insisted. If I'd killed that traitor before then maybe Freedom would still be alive and escaped like I did." The master took a pause before continuing. "I continued the group she had made, but the people didn't want to follow me. Said i was too cruel and authoritarian that the only reason I had been around was because Freedom knew how to control me, keep me in check. So with what little support I had I followed a lead on a rumour that the daleks had found a way to break the time lock. They had, unfortunately it needed a time-lord to activate it, after all it was made with stolen technology, and I was captured. They would of exterminated me but they need someone to activate the machine. I did it but the daleks had no idea who they were dealing with. I laid a few little traps for them and in the confusion stole the device for myself. Activate it, hoping for the best and then I find myself in a forest with you." The Master sighed. "There you go. That's the short version."


	12. Chapter 12

The Master took a quick drink after his story.

"I have questions." Nicole said. The Master nodded. "I hardly understood a word you said." She continued.

"That's not a question." The Master replied. "Basically, I escaped. Just about. You done eating?" He asked. She nodded. "Good, listen, the rain has stopped and we can get moving."

"Hold it." Nicole was still sitting in the armchair, her arms folded in defiance. "That's not an explanation. Put it in a way my tiny human brain can understand, please." The Master began to hop awkwardly from one foot to the other.

"I can't. It's not... something like that it's just not something you can describe." He paused for a moment thinking his next move through deeply. "but I can show you." he said rather cryptically. He walked right up to Nicole and knelt next to her so they were face to face. Nicole wasn't sure if she should be afraid or not. "I've never done this before." He said with an awkward smile and grasped both sides of her face.

"What are you..." Nicole began to squirm.

"sh sh sh sh. Stop it." With that he rather clumsily knocked their heads together. The master gave a quick groaning sound and fell backward slightly. "That actually hurts. How did anyone discover we could do that?" He muttered. Nicole had also fallen backward off of her chair but not from the pain. He'd shown her flashes of his life. But it was more then she'd wanted to know. The war had been horrific, yes and she was on some level grateful for finally knowing some of his secrets but there was a lot of terrible things she'd seen him do from a first person view. Like she'd done them. Heard his thoughts seen, his way of thinking, his thirst for power and fixation on this 'Doctor' whom she now knew more about then some of her closest friends.

"You.." She spoke in between breaths. "You're evil. Just evil." His sadistic laughter ringing in her ears as she recounted the last looks of terror on people's faces as the light left their eyes.

The Master was giving her an odd look. "I said I hadn't done that before. I didn't know how much you were going to see. I'm er sorry." He added the last part in. He got to his feet. "Shall we move?" He asked and offered her his hand. She stared at it for a while before causally grasping it.

"Yes, you're different now." She was talking to herself as much as him. "You're different now..."

It was a long walk in silence to their destination. There was a distinct lack of people around this district. This had been the upper class area, that much was clear. The houses were bigger and area just looked nicer. Or At least had looked nicer before this calamity descended upon the colony. Nicole had been lost in thought the entire way and the Master just had to hope she was paying enough attention to where they were going. She was clearly still in distress about what she'd seen but there was nothing he could do about that now. At least she knew how capable he was now. He'd always wanted his allies to fear him but with someone like Nicole he wasn't sure it was the best way forward.

"Here." she simply said. The master looked up at a gateway to a huge mansion, it looked almost as big as his father's mansion (his father's however was even bigger on the inside). There was what seemed like a gate house on the drive way not dissimilar to the one outside the army base.

"I'll do the talking this time." The Master stated. "When you did we ended up arrested."

"hmm? Yeah, right." She replied, still not herself.

The Master strode up to the gatehouse with Nicole walking slowly behind. "Hellllooo? The Master called and immediately two men armed with sub-machine guns appeared.

"And you are?" One of the men asked.

"Are you... human?" The second one asked.

An odd question as he looked just like one of the apes yet a valid question as he wasn't one. "Actually no, she is though. One of the locals I've picked up, you know how it is." Nicole shot him a glance, maybe she was starting to go back to her old self after all.

"If not human then what are you?" The second man asked with his gun raised.

"Time-lord." He simply stated. The two men looked at each other, the first nodded. The second pulled out a radio and started muttering into it. After a few seconds he nodded back at his peer.

"You're cleared. Follow me."

"Stranger by the moment." The Master whispered to Nicole who agreed.

"Why did they just let us through?" She asked.

"Your guess as good as mine. Nice place though, it's good, isn't it?" He gestured around the pristine hall they were in. "An odd combination of old earth European and Asian arcititure. Actually it's more like the a European attempt to copy Asian arcititure. See look they can't decide whether to use a European dragon or Asian one." He pointed a large sculpture in the middle of the room, which was a bizarre cross between a serpent and lizard. The armed man lead them into the next room. It was overlooking an amazing garden. The room it self was again large not quite as much as the one they'd been in before but large none the less. There was an elderly woman in a long beautiful silky red dress. She turned slowly to greet the newcomers but stopped when she saw the master's face and blinked twice.

"Rodrigo?" She addressed the man.

"ma'am?" He replied.

"You said it was the Time-lord." Her voice held grandeur without snobbery.

"He said that's what he was, ma'am."

"Indeed?" She walked up to the Master and gazed deep into his eyes. She stepped backward. "You have the same stare." She told him. "Yet slightly colder." She tilted her head to the side slightly.

"Are we just ignoring me now?" Nicole asked clearly frustrated. The elderly woman looked at her for the first time.

"Forgive me." She inclined her head slightly. Despite her age she was a few inches taller then Nicole. "I am lady Cassidy. Acting head of the HDL. And you would be?"

"I am the Master and this is Nicole."

"Hi" She said not knowing what else to say and feeling rather stupid saying it.

"Now you said acting head. What happened to the actual head." The master asked.

"My husband has.. gone." Lady Cassidy looked sadly down at the ground while saying this. "I'm afraid I do not know where or why. I commented all resources into finding him but instead we found the most wonderful man. So very like you."

The Master had began to piece it all together. "Lady Cassidy. What was his name?" The Master was feeling all sorts of emotions at once.

"He never said. Not his real one. Just a title like yours."

"What did he say?" The master had began to raise his voice rather alarmingly. the three humans began to look nervous. Then the noise ran through the air. That all to familiar noise. As the blue box began to appear out of nowhere. Flashing in and out of existence getting stronger each time. Nicole let out a gasp and grabbed the Master's arm.

"It's him, isn't it?" She asked not sure whether to rejoice or hide. The Master just swallowed loudly.

_**wow. It's been a while. Sorry but time just flys and I've been buisy. But here's the next part. Hope you enjoyed**_


	13. Chapter 13

The Doctor burst out of the blue doors. "Igotit, Igotit." He gave a quick upward glance and dashed towards Lady Cassidy. He held up a small devise. "Do you see that?" he pointed at a tiny screen on his devise. "That is the exact reading of this killer fog that has swept right across your industrial area, even worse then normal industrial smog, that is." The Doctor had regenerated from when the Master saw him last. He was shorter and his hair was even more wild. He was dressed better then a lot of his forms but even so it looked very 'wacky uncle'. None the less he maintained the same enthusiasm he always had. A gigantic smile assured the Master of that. A smile that suddenly fixed on his face as he looked upwards. The two time lords had made eye contact. At first the Doctor was still holding his awkward grin as he looked his counterpart up and down, not quite willing to accept what his senses were telling him. The smile fell and his jaw began to flail up and down.

"Hello." The master attempted a wave his hand just sort of fell back to his side as soon as he rose it. The Doctor slowly sidestepped up to his Nemesis, head slightly to the side but never loosing that eye contact. He finally managed a word.

"W-w-what?" The two men were now face to face. "How?"

"I take it you are acquainted with our guest, Doctor?" Lady Cassidy chirped from what seemed like the far distance that was really only a few feet away. "I've only just met them. Do you know the girl too?" The Doctor's eyes briefly flicked to Nicole who immediately shuddered and flinched. The Master decided he'd have to take the lead in the 'reunion'.

"It's me! We parted on unusually good terms last time didn't we? Well, I'm here now and erm aha, as you saved me and I saved you, I thought maybe I might try it your way, you know with the helping lower life forms and... Say something." The Doctor still hadn't shifted. Then he held out his finger and poked the Master on the nose. Then did it again. Then again. "Can you not do that please?" The Doctor rose up to his full height.

"Tell me what you have done here." He said quietly. "Then tell me how to stop it and what you possibly hoped to achieve from all this death." His voice had been dramatically rising as he spoke so that his last word ended with a shout.

"Nothing. No really. I haven't had time. I mean even if I wanted to. Which I don't by the way."

"You're looking very beat up for someone who's been doing nothing." The Master looked down at his suit. Dirty, ripped and with blood stains in places.

"Ah, yes well. There is this foolish gang call themselves 'the Hawks' and I just happened to run into them, no big deal. Easy really."

"You'd be dead if it wasn't for me." Nicole had spoken for the first time since the Doctor arrived. She seemed to regret speaking the moment she'd finished.

"Who's this?" The Doctor inclined his head towards Nicole.

"That's my human." The Master smiled and looked over the Doctor's shoulder. "Where's yours?" He asked.

"On her honeymoon." The Doctor replied.

"Mine's a doctor. A real doctor not a you doctor. What does your current one do? Another shop assistant? Unemployed?"

"She's a er, a kissogram." The Doctor looked at the floor the avoid the master's smug face. "But she's as brilliant as any doctor, except me of course. Her husband isn't bad either."

Lady Cassidy spoke again. "Perhaps it would be best to leave the pair of you alone?" The Doctor nodded. "Come dear, let's get you some nice clothes and perhaps a shower." Lady Cassidy led Nicole away followed the almost forgotten man, Rodrigo.

Nicole had been given a large room similar to the penthouse of a five star hotel. It was gorgeous but oddly lonely being there by herself, after drying her hair from the shower she went to pick up the clothes that she'd left for washing but found much nicer looking purple dress left for her with a note from Lady Cassidy's butler or maid or whatever staff Lady Cassidy had. The note had said it was hers now but Nicole felt awkward as picked it up. it was beautiful but it wasn't hers not really. Then again she was naked and there was no sign of her regular clothes so she needed to wear something. As she slipped into the dress she felt a sudden burst of comfort. It had been too long since she'd worn anything so elegant and easy. She walked across the a body sized mirror and almost didn't recognise her self. Her messy hair didn't match the dress that so majestically flowed on her body. Nicole's head began to hurt, it kept doing this recently, so she sat down at the nearest chair and held her head with a slight groan. As she opened her eyes she was facing another mirror on the desk in front of her, complete with expensive hair and beauty products. Unsure if she should but deciding to anyway she began to fiddle with all kinds of things in front of her. She didn't know why, none of this stuff should matter, not with the chaos going on outside and with the Doctor now here as well it could only get more chaotic. She wasn't a teenager and even then she'd never been one to care for dresses and hair but at the same time here, in this room she felt cosy and safe. Away from the gang wars and invaders and the Master and the horrific things he'd done. Away from reality. If she wanted to 'play with make up' then it was a nice escape. The Doctor and the Master she thought. Whenever they meet, they fight and people die. People close to them. How long before they fought this time and people burn in the aftermath? She felt a horrible lurch in her gut as she wondered if she'd end up picking sides. The Doctor was someone who'd never spoken a word to her. But from what she'd seen in the Master's mind he was the good guy, sort of. He'd been the one saving the Earth, saving the innocent, humanity's protector. But she'd seen events from the Master's views. The Doctor had been arrogant at and down right wrong at times. It was hard remembering what the Master had showed her. He'd done terrible things but the worst part was she'd been him. She understood why and in some twisted sense it seemed justified, the thought made her skin cruel. At least when it was a different master with a beard or something she could pretend it was someone else but when it was the man she knew, in both looks and personality, that really hit her hard._ "Remove one tenth of the Earth's population" _echoed along with that manic laugh, her headache worsened. With a scream, she threw the hair and beauty products on to the floor. She sat gasping for a little while then the door crept open.

"Miss?" A mousy looking housemaid poked her head around the door. "Are you OK, miss?"

"I'm fine." Nicole forced a smile. "I'm fine." The maid looked at the explosion of chemicals on the thick ruby red carpet. "Sorry I... Fell off of my chair, knocked things over. I'll clean it up."

"Allow me, miss." The maid said. "'tis my job after all. Besides your meal is ready. If you'd like to follow me?" Nicole only realised she was hungry after hearing the word 'meal'.

Nicole was led around the mansion and found herself in a dinning room. The room was in keeping with other areas of the mansion with a dragon chandelier hanging above the long shiny table. A second maid was holding her dinner in the corner. Then two men entered. The Doctor and the Master. They seemed to be getting on OK. The Doctor still seemed wary, he'd be a fool not to, but he was definitely more relaxed then earlier. The first maid had left and returned without Nicole noticing. She was now carrying two extra plates and gestured for the three to sit down.

"Look at you." The Master addressed her. "All dressed up nice are we?" He'd changed as well into a better not beat up suit but it still couldn't compare to what she was wearing.

"They gave it to me." She said rather defensively.

"I'm the Doctor by the way, I'm here to help." The Doctor introduced himself. Nicole felt it best not to say how much she'd seen of him.

"Hi, I'm Nicole. I'm also a doctor." She attempted conversation but it soon stopped once the food arrived. It was the best Nicole had had in a long time, maybe ever. Once the meal was finished the mousy maid came back in. Nicole assumed she was there to clean up the plates but she handed Nicole her mobile communication instead.

"A message, miss." Nicole saw her brother on the front of the screen and sighed, expecting some rant or pointless request. Instead it simply read _'help me.'_

_**As always it took me a while to get this ready. But here it is and please, please review if you read it. I really like to see them.**_


	14. Chapter 14

Nicole gazed at the message unsure what to make of it. Maybe Steven just was out of milk, maybe he couldn't find any washing powder but would 'help me' mean that? No. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Nicole sat up very quickly.

"What's wrong with you?" The Master asked.

"Steven." She bluntly replied and passed him the mobile. "Look at this."

"What do you think we should do?" He asked.

"You're asking me?"

"He's your brother." The Master shrugged.

"Did you just offer to help?" The Doctor stood up as well. The paused and thought for a moment.

"I guess I did. huh." The Master smiled and gave a soft laugh. "See." He turned to the Doctor. "I'm not all bad."

"I always knew you weren't." The Doctor smiled back but turned stern once more. "But I'm not letting you out of my sight." The Master rolled his eyes.

"I don't need baby sitting, Doctor."

"Can we please do something?" Nicole shouted at them. "A man, my brother, is in trouble and the pair of you just, just... ahh." She gave a quick gasp and had to sit down again. Her headache was back with a vengeance.

"You should stay here." The Doctor told her. He had grim expression on his face. "You seem sick. If your brother is in any danger I, we," He pointed to the Master. "Can handle it."

"No. I don't care about my headache. I want to see him." Nicole insisted although she couldn't even stand now let alone think. It was excruciating. She began to sway from side to side then fainted. The Doctor ran to her side and felt the side of her head.

"She'll be fine. Just take her to her room." He addressed the two maids who nodded looking rather frightened.

"We should go to her brother." The Master said without taking his eyes off Nicole as she was carried out of the room.

"Of course." The Doctor replied.

"It's a long walk."

"We'll take the TARDIS." The Doctor casually responded.

"You've redecorated!" The Master gazed around at the interior.

"She did. I had no choice." The Doctor lept up to the console.

"Doctor, she will be fine won't she?" The Master asked after his companion.

"I think so. Terrible headache but it's understandable, stress of the last few days and whatever has crashed here is heating up this place like a cooker, proberly the ship's engine leaking, that's what the gas is as well." He babbled.

"The gas is from the ship?" The Master asked.

"yeah. Whatever landed here, they crashed, they didn't land. It was an accident and the gas is whatever the radiation from the ship's engine. That's what I've gathered. What have you found out?" He put the last part on with genuine thought, as if he just realised the Master could of found something useful.

"Well," the Master struggled to think of anything useful he'd found to do with the invaders. "First you tell me what you're doing here." It was partly a question and partly a stall for time.

"oh, just in the area. You know how it is." The Doctor waved his hands.

The Master sighed. "I'm not an idiot."

The Doctor turned to look away from the console and at the Master. "No, no you're not. I know that better then anyone. Sorry." He move a screen across the console to face him and gestured for the Master to come closer. "I picked this up." The screen flickered to life and a young woman appeared on the screen. She was soaked with sweat and had tears flowing down her face. It was a look the Master had seen often. When a sentient being was the victim of a particularly nasty attack. She whispered as she spoke.

"If anyone gets this please, help. The people I was with they're dead. Killed by these... things. I don't know what they are but they're the most horrible monsters I've ever seen. Something from a nightmare. Please help me. Someone, anyone help." Then the message faded.

"I know that girl." The Master struggled to recall where from.

"What?" The Doctor spun around with a look of shock etched onto his face. "You must tell me. Who is she? Where did you see her?"

"I don't remember. Wait." The Master clicked his fingers. "I got it. There were three of them. I met them at the army base. They were the press, the media. That obnoxious woman and her camp assistant and that girl." It all came back to him now. They'd tried to hit him for an interview while he had breakfast at the base.

"Media you say?" The Doctor thought a moment. "Explains how she had access to equipment powerful enough to send a signal that strong." The Doctor began pacing. "What was she like?"

"Doctor, I don't even remember if she spoke to me."

The Doctor sighed. "I'm not sure if knowing this gets us anywhere. Well, at least tell me what you've found out then."

"Ah, yes. Well the thing is that erm. The map." he said recalling the briefing from the Major and his lieutenant. "The gas shrouds the whole industrial district including the power station and water treatment plant."

"But the city still has power and water." The Doctor interrupted.

"Exactly. If the creatures wanted to invade they'd have knocked it out, at least to weaken the people beforehand."

"So that means what we're dealing with isn't intelligent. At least not massively. But they could fly a ship?"

"Not if they were the cargo." The Master suddenly thought of Nicole and felt a spring of guilt. "Oh God, Steven. I almost forgot." The Doctor looked equally guilty and began to press random buttons.

"I have no idea where we're going." The Doctor said.

"Get out of the way." The Master shoved him and took the controls.

"You're lucky she lets you fly her, after what you did." The Doctor gave him a sideways glance. The master didn't reply.

The Doctor ran over to the TARDIS doors once it had finished materialising but paused when it got to them. "After you." He gestured, clearly unwilling to step out of his TARDIS with the Master still in there. The Master brushed past and opened the door to Nicole's living room. Stephen was there but he was out cold, just passed out on the floor. "Hey Steven." The Doctor ran over and held up his head off of the floor. Steven stirred slightly.

"Who.."

"I'm the Doctor, I'm here to help. Your sister sent me." The Doctor gently told him. "Come on." He said to the Master. "We should get him on board." The two moved Stephen in the TARDIS and the Doctor began tinkering with all sorts of equipment. "This should slow it down." The Doctor stabbed Steven with a sort of needle.

"Slow what down? What's wrong with him?" The Master asked.

"My guess is the gas has got to him. From a distance. Not dense enough to give him a quick death but still dangerous." Steven's eyes had stopped fluttering and had regain focus. He sat up suddenly.

"My chest.. it hurts." He grumbled.

"Easy now." The Doctor held him.

"Do you have a cure?" The Master asked.

"You again?" Steven looked around at the voice to see the Master standing there.

"Hi, Doctor do you have the cure?" The Doctor shook his head so Steven couldn't see. The Master's hearts sunk. He didn't much care for Steven but Nicole would be crushed.

"If he is sick from the ship's gas then there should be a cure on that ship." The Master reasoned. The Doctor paused then nodded. The Master lept up to the console and the TARDIS began to shift.

"What are you going to do with me?" Steven asked.

"I think we should put him back at the mansion." The Master tweaked with the controls.

"There's no time." The Doctor replied.

"We're in a time machine."

"You know the rules as well as me." The Doctor took a very stand off-ish stance.

"Fine. We leave him in here."

"No. I'm going with you." Steven had stood up and limped over.

"Oh, no you're not." The Master told him.

"If I go with you I can get the cure faster instead of waiting for you to get back. I heard everything you were saying. I'll.. I'll die if I don't." Steven's voice lowered on the last sentence. He was no longer the gruff, angry man that the Master met. He was afraid and slightly pitiful. The Doctor thought long and hard on it.

"He's got a point." The Doctor said.

"Doctor, we're going into the ship, where these things are."

"He'll die if you take too long. It'll only take half the time to get the cure this way." The TARDIS suddenly let out a loud beeping sound. "OH." The Doctor shouted and ran towards the console. His eyes widened and he dashed out the doors without a word. The master supposed he should go after him. As he got outside the first thing he noticed was a battered and beat up van. However the word 'press' was clearly visible on the side. "It's her." The Doctor said and again dashed off. The Master couldn't see anything noteworthy other then the van, it was a road with trees at the side. Then he turned around. The alien ship was there. It wasn't massive in ship terms but still dominated the landscape. It was an oval shape, half buried in the ground. It looked incredibly sinister shrouded in that gas. The Doctor had emerged from the van supporting the woman from the video, who was wearing a gas mask to protect herself. "My biology is a little different to yours, don't worry. This stuff can't hurt me. Or him." Pointing at the Master as an after note. Once everyone was back inside the Master asked what to do with their new patient. The Doctor didn't know. She was babbling worse then either of them about demons and horror.

"CAN WE GO?" Steven screamed clutching his chest.

"We split up." The Master suggested. He handed Steven the woman's gas mask. "I take him for the cure. You get her to the mansion."

"I'm not letting you go." The Doctor pointed his finger.

"I don't think you have a choice." The Master replied. As if on cue Steven gave a horrible cry of pain. This prompted the woman to scream as well. She backed away from Steven hysterically shouting

"People are their eggs, people are their eggs. He's an egg. He's an egg."

"Fine!" The Doctor shouted. "But I can find you."

"As can I." The Master walked out of the TARDIS with Steven stumbling behind him. The TARDIS began to leave so the Master and Steven began to make their way to the ship.


	15. Chapter 15

The sound of the TARDIS began to fade as the Master made his first tentative steps towards the alien ship. Steven waddled behind him, still clenching his belly. Although his face couldn't be seen through the mask, it was clear he was in pain. Whatever the Doctor had given him had slowed down the infection but they would have to hurry to get a cure. A cure the Master wasn't even sure existed. He didn't know why he was putting his life on the line for the possibility of saving a man he didn't like but he was doing it.

"Don't you need a mask?" Steven asked.

"Nope. I'm better then you." The Master responded. The ship was just past this hill, the TARDIS had taken them in close but unfortunately the Doctor's sudden departure meant they couldn't simply appear in the engine room.

"Where are we going exactly?" Steven asked.

"You're sick from the gas. Gas from the engine of this crashed ship. I presume the ship will have a cure in case someone on board was exposed, most likely in the engine room for convenience."

"Right." Steven said. The Master was unsure if he understood but didn't really care. When Steven was in pain and fearing for his life he was much less of a jerk. He hadn't snapped at him yet, nor had he moaned much, beyond groaning in pain which even the Master understood. "Oh, Jesus.." Steven had stopped at the top of the hill. "See that?" He raised a finger at the valley beyond. It was a housing estate surrounded by factories, with a massive power plant dominating at the end of the valley. The entire area was shrouded in gas. It was thicker then near the ship as the gas had obviously sunk down the valley as mustard gas did in trench warfare. "That's where we grew up, me and Nicole. Our Dad worked at the factory with the dome roof over there. He died with the gas did our poor old Dad." Steven's head lowered sadly to the floor.

"Come on, we can walk and talk." The Master made movement towards the ship again. Steven stayed looking at the valley for a few seconds and grunted. "I mean, I'm.. sorry." The Master added. "What about your mother?" The Master asked as they set a brisk pace, which Steven struggled with.

"She weren't supposed to have one kid. Let alone two. After Nicole her body couldn't take the strain and just gave up."

"Again, sorry." The master said. "So you were both raised by your father?"

"For the most part, yeah. I hated school. My grades were crap at the end and Dad was pissed. He liked Nicole more, I recon. Pampered her as Mum's legacy, you know 'born out of her death and the like, looked like her too. She got all the grades and not long afterwards a doctorate of medical stuff. I know, they used to train for years for that kinda thing. Now they just give then out to every above average twenty year old. Only reason she got one really. She's good but not that good. Where is she anyway? I asked for her help and she sends a stranger. I could die! She's a doctor, she could help me." Steven was starting to go into rant mode again.

"Keep your voice down. We don't know what's out here." The Master snapped.

click click click

"Did you hear that?" Steven asked.

"I think so." The Master answered.

"What do you.." Steven began.

"sh sh shsh." The Master interrupted.

click click click

The noise was like a monstrous growl, mixed with an insect. A horrible feeling arose in the Master's gut. They were at the ship and it only took a little fiddling to get the nearest entrance open. "Inside, quick." He signalled at Steven who dashed in as fast as he could. Then a roar. As if Steven's movement had set off a hunting instinct. A creature, whatever it was, had appeared running on all fours towards the Master and Steven. The Master didn't get a good look of it before he slammed the entrance and barricaded it as best he could, but it had a large head and out of proportion tail. "Come on." The Master gave Steven an encouraging push in a random direction and followed him with a sprint. "The hunt is on." He muttered as a loud banging told him the creature was smashing against the barricade.

"Where do we go?" Steven shouted at a split in the corridor, the ship was tight and constricting.

"Up and deeper. So to the right, come on." He over took Steven who was panting through the gas mask.

"Hey." He gasped. "Maybe it won't get through the door thing we did." Just on time a crash and a roar said otherwise.

"Never say those things, ever. In my experience if you say something won't happen it will. 'You will never escape, Doctor.' BAM. He escapes." They ascended a staircase.

"It's getting louder. That means it's closer."

"You don't say." The Master muttered. Another piercing scream from the beast echoed down the corridors. "oh, look. A big imposing door." The Master ran through the big imposing door with Steven Myles not far behind. They had entered the largest room so far (granted everywhere else was tiny). It was an odd mixture of mechanical and organic components.

"What's that on the walls?" Steven asked as they sprinted to the other side of the room.

"I'm not looking at the walls, Steven. Why are you?"

"It's not right. The wall aren't right. They look kinda lumpy."

Then another roar crossed the room. It was too quick. It was in the room with them. The Master stopped running, he'd never out run it, and turned to face his foe.

"What are you doing?" Steven screamed. But the Master hardly noticed.

"Steven, do you have any idea what this is? Of course you don't." He said without allowing Steven to answer. "Kar'ak, life thief, Asuro, Xenomorph. Different civilisations have different names for them. Class A vermin, one of the only creatures in the universe which I don't think anywhere allows them as pets, no matter how hard I looked." He said with a smile. "This, Steven, is one of the universes greatest killers. It's gorgeous. I always wanted to meet one." The xenomorph's arms were outstretched as it reared on its legs, tail thrashing behind it. "Just not really under these circumstances." Suddenly a bullet tore through the creature's chest, spraying its oddly coloured blood on the surrounding surface. Another bullet hit the xenomorph causing it to yelp and flee. The Master turned to see a gas masked man holding a large rifle. He walked over to the Master and Steven.

"I was hoping I'd see you again, here. Really hoping. Come back to the scene of the crime. Come to pet your babies when they turned on you, Master." The last word was spoken with such contempt, that it was hard to believe one man could hold so much hatred, while the other was clueless as to his identity. "Saw you at the base earlier and couldn't believe I let the major try you as a pet. He failed as I knew he would. Nothing against him, anyone would fail trying to tame you. The only solution is to shoot you dead."

"Blaa blaa blaa. Do it. You were the same at the base, earlier. All talk no do."

"I want you to know the man who killed you. I should explain. Ras.."

"Not here." The Master interrupted. "We're in the middle of a xenomorph infested ship and I have someone who needs the cure for the gas." On cue again Steven Groaned and held his chest. "Wait a moment. Gas.. or... NO, no, no, no, no, NO." He ran to Steven ignoring the gunman. He placed his Palm on Steven as if feeling a child kicking within a pregnant mother. Something kicked alright. "No." The Master repeated. "The Doctor was wrong, it wasn't the gas that was causing this. He's a host." Steven suddenly and violently collapsed on the floor. He was shaking uncontrollably and the Master grabbed him but, for one of the only times in his life, had no idea what to do. "Help me." He asked the gunman.

"Why should I?" He spat.

"Nicole." Steven spluttered. "Is she safe?"

"Yes, she's safe now. Off the streets with the gangs and far away from here."

"Keep her that way. I love her. She, she knows that." Was all the words Steven could manage.

"Yeah she knows that. She loves you, really." The Master was speaking like a compassionate idiot but it came naturally now, unlike earlier when playing nice had been against his instincts. But as for now he could only watch as the universe's most horrific birth took place.


	16. Chapter 16

The Master stared at the body as a familiar stench washed over him. The stench of death. He sighed unsure what he should feel. The creature, baby xenomorph, had fled the moment it was 'born', leaving the Master alone with only the hostile spec. ops trooper. "You could have done something." The Master spat.

"Like what?" The man shrugged. "It's just you and me now so I can take this off." He removed the gas mask revealing the familiar face from the army base.

"Hang on. Humans couldn't survive here without that mask. As you're not rolling around the floor gasping for your lungs to stop burning, I could guess you're not human after all."

"Took you long enough. You're not as smart as they say." He looked the Master up and down. "Or as threatening. Look at you now. Crawling around ships filled with vermin to save lower species, how pathetic." He scoffed.

"You think these things are just vermin?" The Master asked.

"That's how they're classed according to galactic law. They're parasites in need of constant extermination to keep numbers low. We're not allowed to wipe them out thanks to this damn species protection laws. This ship," he gestured. "This was transporting these parasites somewhere, probably to a hunting reserve for those nutjobs with the masks."

"You say lower species like helping them is a bad thing but weren't you here to save them from this? Didn't you have a team of them earlier?" The Master asked.

"No. I was allocated a team when I arrived. The psychic paper allowed me to pose as a human elite soldier here to deal with these things while I completed my true task."

"Which is what exactly?"

"You. I was sent to find you and bring you back if I could, if not, kill you." The man smiled, not a warm smile but one of dark primal pleasure, the kind that only comes from a sadistic person focusing on prey. A look the Master had seen in the mirror one too many times. "I volunteered for this mission the moment it crossed my ears. You took everything from me in your madness, your quest for power. You destroyed my home, killed my family, my friends, everyone."

"Sorry faces tend to blur after a while erm, remind me."

"It wasn't personal, what you did. No. You blew up the God damn sun just to see if your new toy worked. My family fled the Time-lords for being too corrupt, so we could live normal lives but you changed that. I was the only one left and I made it back to Gallifrey just to hear them say I was wrong to leave."

"You're a…"

"Time-lord. Now trained as one of Lord Rassilon's best. Heh. Didn't think you could just escape the time-war with no consequences. Rassilon himself didn't want to try the escape route, too risky but I was willing to take the risk if it meant being able to hunt for you. You call yourself the Master. I am the Survivor. I always live no matter what is thrown at me."

The Master suddenly froze. He gaped up at the ceiling. "Great story but I don't think we're alone in here." 'The Survivor', as he called himself, spun around to examine the sport where the master was gazing. The Master didn't want to hang around and bolted to the door, feeling a little bad about leaving Steven's body.

"I don't see it!" The other Time-lord panicked.

"I lied." The Master shouted back as he spun around the corridors, finally leaving the large room. "I can't believe he fell for that." He muttered. A shout of fury echoed through the ship from the Survivor, which was followed by inhuman screams. The Aliens were awake.

Nicole bolted upright from the bed. The maid next to her gave a start. "Miss!" She exclaimed. "You're awake thank goodness." The maid sat back down at the end of the bed, she was holding herself very uptight. "Lady Cassidy will be most pleased. You gave us all quite the scare at dinner." Nicole had been having dreams about the Master. Again, what she saw in his memories unnerved her but the worst part was that because she'd seen the memories from the Master's point of view, she'd felt the same way he had. She'd _enjoyed_ it. Giving a quick shudder, Nicole turned to the maid.

"I… Thanks." The maid gave a weak smile in acknowledgement. "What was your name again?"

"Trent, miss."

"That's your last name, I mean your first name."

The maid paused. "Jessica."

"Not many people call me 'miss'. You can drop the formalities. I'm just Nicole to you."

"I couldn't do that, miss. It would be disrespectful to Lady Cassidy's guest."

Nicole wasn't in the mood to argue. "Why are you doing this?"

"It is my job." Jessica replied.

"I meant why are you and Lady Cassidy so accepting of strangers? You don't know me but you're treating me in bed and giving me posh dresses." Nicole looked around for the dress quickly, as she was now tucked in her underwear, feeling a little disappointed when she couldn't see it.

"These are dark times, miss. We want to provide help to all those who need it, after all if we can't gather light then darkness overwhelms."

"That was rather profound for a maid."

"What are you suggesting, miss?" The maid raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing. I mean, it's just…" Unsure what she could say that wouldn't cause any more offence. But then the maid giggled.

"It's quite alright, I understand, miss." Nicole was relieved that the maid was joking.

"But how did you know we're not killers or something?" Nicole asked

"Are you?" The maid answered with another question.

"No." She said, thinking of her last dream and not being so sure. In the dream she'd wanted to kill this man and she had, with pleasure. As that actually happened at some point did that give her the mind of a killer? Of course not, she shook the thoughts out of her head.

"Well there you go." The maid replied.

"I'd say that if I were." Nicole replied.

"Miss, we can tell the type. You are not one." The maid patted her shoulder. "We here feel that the army is out of touch. HDL stands for '_Humanitarian Distribution League'."_

"League?" Nicole asked.

The maid gave a knowing smile. "Mr Cassidy thought of it before his disappearance. He said that having 'league' in the name made us sound more… serious. I thought it made us sound more like superheroes."

"Well 'mighty maid' here rescued me." Nicole smiled up at her caretaker who giggled in response.

"You can call me, Jessica, miss." She moved slightly closer to Nicole and opened her legs and relaxed her shoulders in a more carefree manner.

"I'll only do that if you drop this 'miss' rubbish and use my name." Nicole told her.

"Very well, miss Nicole." The maid grinned.

"You're winding me up now."

"How very unprofessional of me." The maid giggled again. "You're such a change from the usual ones I serve here. They want nothing to do with the staff, yet here you are talking to me like anyone else, thank you."

"You're welcome." Nicole was a little blown back by her courtesy. "You're the one taking care of me."

"But I get paid to do that." Jessica replied. "Excuse me for one moment." She got up and walked towards the sink, poured two drinks of some bubbly liquid and walked back over. She sat right next to Nicole and handed her a glass. "Cheers." The two glasses chimed together and both girls took a drink. "I'm on duty so hush." Jessica told her.

"I will." Nicole sipped from her glass. "Erm, how did I change into my underwear?" She asked.

"For your state, it was much more comfy then that dress, no matter how pretty you looked in it, miss… Nicole. Don't worry, I didn't look. Much." She grinned again. Nicole pulled the duvet up slightly. She'd only just released but Jessica was very pretty. She had a well-rounded face with chestnut coloured hair flowing slightly under the tiara of the maid uniform. Her eyes also matched her hair, deep and somewhat innocent. She stood suddenly and Nicole noticed was a little on the short side. "My apologies miss." She suddenly seemed very on edge. "I have other duties to perform. If you are well then I shall leave." And with that she turned towards the door.

"Wait." Nicole said and the maid stopped at the doorway. "Jessica, I need a friendly face around here. Can you stay?"

"I do have duties to perform. But maybe once my shift is over I could come see you?"

"I'd love that." Nicole smiled. The maid smiled back, no longer flustered and left. Nicole was just glad she'd made a friend who was normal, although her change in behaviour was odd. At first she'd been a traditional staff member but warmed up very easily, her usual clients were obviously too full of themselves to chat with her. But the unusual thing was why she'd changed her demeanour again seeming almost scared. Maybe it was just being caught drinking on duty or maybe not. Nicole still felt rather tired and rolled over to catch a rest hoping to have more pleasant dreams.

The entire ship was filled with grim maze like corridors. The walls had the feeling of closing in on themselves and the darkness made it difficult to spot his pursuers. Twice the Master had escaped only by the skin of his teeth. But now he'd made it to the engine room and was able to fulfil his plan. Earlier he'd come across an entire room filled with eggs and cocoons. If the engine power could be rerouted to stop expelling the gas then it would overheat the entire ship killing the eggs. It was unlikely that the resistant Xenomorphs would be killed but eggs didn't stand a chance. Stop the gas and kill the eggs, two birds with one stone. The Master began to fiddle with the engine parts. It was a huge piece of machinery. In the centre of the room stood a gigantic blue energy ball, all around it were branches of 'tech walls' turning the room itself into a sort of hedge maze just with iron walls instead of plant. The Master wandered around for a while, his sense of direction fine, but simply trying to get a feel of the room and what to do with the engine. Then the blue orb shook slightly and rattling was heard close by. This time there was something in the room with him. Unsure if it was his Time-lord pursuer of the nightmare Xenomorphs the Master kept his head down. More rattling followed getting closer and closer, then the unmistakable snarl of a xenomorph. The Master froze as the over-sized tail dangled over a nearby tech-wall. It perked up at a small buzzing sound and moved away, the Master would have sighed in relief but anything might attract the monster's attention. The blue orb shook again, far more violently this time. Suddenly sparks flew from next him as a knife like tail punctured the tech-wall to his left. The Master had barely ducked before the creature's inner jaw shot at where his head had been a second before. The Master ran back where he'd come from with the beast stumbling behind, thankfully it was a tad too big to graciously manoeuvre through the maze. The Master began to put some distance between them when the monster leapt over the wall landing directly in from of him, it gave an ear splitting shriek as it rose its' arms and tail swishing behind it. The Master ran to the convenient branch on his left towards the room's core. The xenomorph was thumping around on all fours close behind; the Master grabbed a loose bit of piping and awaited his hunter around a corner. The moment the xenomorph appeared the Master struck it firmly in the jaw and ran again as the monster whimpered in pain and stumbled slightly. As the chase continued the blue orb in the middle shook yet again, this time rocking back and forth. A shockwave broke out from the orb and spread throughout the room at chest height. Instinctively the Master throw himself onto the floor, the xenomorph however did not. When the blue wave struck the parasite it was vaporised. This time the Master did breathe a sigh of relief. The Master decided he should check the orb in the centre to see what caused the shockwave. Although he was grateful for it, if left unchecked the energy source could explode or even worse. As the Master moved closer he heard more movement, there was another one. Footsteps moved closer and a shadow darkened the master's view. Instinctively he spun around to punch his attacker, knowing that he'd probably loose his arm to the monster's jaw. "Doctor!" He exclaimed as the scruffy haired time-lord bounced back up like a bobodoll. "Sorry, I thought you were one of those things. I take it you saw them." The Doctor blinked a couple of times a rubbed his nose before nodding grimly.

"Kainde Amedha, the stuff of nightmares." The Doctor said.

"Don't call them that. It sounds like you're hunting them." The Master said. "Only those brutes actually seek out these guys, the rest of us want them exterminated." The Master paused. "Or on a leash. Anyway what are doing here?"

"I've got two ideas for being here. That's right two, because I'm so brilliant. Number one is to look for you and Steven as you were supposed to be here."

"It was too late for him. He was 'impregnated' not sick from the gas."

The Doctor's face turned slightly pale. "Part two was to reroute the core to overheat the ship killing any eggs and youngsters whilst at the same time stopping the ship from spreading anymore of that foul gas. I've been fiddling with the engine for a little while now causing the occasional burst of energy just to clear the room of any xenomorphs."

"Come up with the 'stop gas, kill eggs' plan yourself did you?"

"Of course, two birds with one stone." The Doctor waved his screwdriver.

"I really hate you sometimes."


	17. Chapter 17

The gas clouds were already starting to clear by the time the two Time-Lords arrived outside. Just being with the Doctor had made the trip easier. He didn't get lost nor did he encounter any of the xenomorphs. The two had retreated back up to the hillside where the TARDIS had landed earlier. They stood side by side watching the ship as it rattled slightly. The Master's assumption had been correct, the adult xenomorphs could take much more punishment then that but the children and the eggs stood no chance.

"They're only children. They can't help where they came from." The Doctor muttered grimly.

"You're joking right? Those things are animals, monsters. Doctor, they're not even sentient."

"Who's to say what's 'sentient'? They're smarter than apes you know."

"Don't argue for equal rights for xenomorphs now. You've done much worse than this with no regrets."

"You think I have no regrets?" The Doctor turned to him. Everyone that lies dead at my feet, friend or foe, could maybe still be alive if I tried harder. There might be more than two Time-Lords here today if I'd just reasoned with some, persuaded them to join me."

"Oh yeah." The Master just remembered his encounter. "There's three of us now, this other guy, he's called the Survivor, lame name I know but basically he was sent from the Time-war to look for me and test the escape route before Rassilon and the others try it. I think he's mad because I may have blown up his home and killed his family or something and when I say mad I mean both kinds of angry and insane, perfect combination if I do say so myself."

The Doctor opened his mouth and shut it a few times before he spoke. "There's another one? How did he escape?"

"Well, I think probably the same way I did. Looking back now, it was stupid of me to assume there was only one of those things. Last I saw of him he was in there." The Master pointed at the ship.

"We've got to find him, save him. The xenomorphs will tear him apart." The Doctor began to move a few paces but the master grabbed his shoulder.

"Not so fast. With a name like that I'm sure he'll make it out. If you want to see him all we'll have to do is wait. He's here for me, dead or alive, and he's not leaving until he gets me. Oh, and I'm sure he'll be very interested in you once he finds out you're here as well. Also he mentioned about being one of Rassilon's most trusted agents so don't think you'll be convincing him to the world of puppies and rainbows." The Doctor sighed.

"I've got to try." He said.

"Fine, but don't be expecting anything. Come on I want to go see Nicole."

"So traveling with a human?" The Doctor asked as they walked into the TARDIS.

"I'm not it's just a temporary thing."

"That's what I always say, the next thing you know you're taking them across the stars. Willing to die for them."

"That doesn't mean that much coming from you. You're willing to die to save a stranger, to save an enemy"

"You did the same. You could have died to save me remember. I thought you did. We were enemies." The TARDIS began to power up as the Doctor's fingers dance across the console.

"But you weren't a normal enemy, you never have been. If you were I'd have killed you long ago."

"Thanks." The Doctor snorted. "But I doubt it. What about her? Would you die for her?"

"No." The Master replied. "I've only known her a few days. She's not my companion just someone who's there. I don't travel with anyone."

"Sure." The Doctor smiled. "I don't think one part of that is true. You enjoy it. I travel with humans because traveling with humans is cool." The TARDIS gave another shake. "They're just so quirky."

The Master walked out of the TARDIS unwilling to continue this discussion as it was making him feel very insecure. They were back on the room overlooking the balcony with Lady Cassidy leaning out of it. She turned to the Master.

"Welcome back. I was beginning to worry." Lady Cassidy said.

"Don't worry about me, never worry about me." The Doctor said as he sprung out from the TARDIS doors. "I'm the Doctor and I saved people, call me the great rescuer. Except I did just wipe out a lot of those vermin so call me the great pest controller, no what are they called if they kill them? The exterminator. Call me the great exterminator. No don't call me that. Really don't, you're not a dalek, Lady Cassidy…"

Lady Cassidy interrupted the ramblings "The girl you brought back is being treated, physically it's just a few scratches but I'm not sure if she'll ever recover mentally."

"Those are the kind things that the unprepared never can recover from." The Doctor sighed. "Let me speak to her."

"I don't know. She needs plenty of rest."

"Trust me. I can help." The Doctor gave a warm smile and Lady Cassidy nodded. The Doctor left the room. Then promptly came back to ask where the girl was. Lady Cassidy signalled a man in the corner of the room who led the Doctor away. The Master turned to Lady Cassidy and opened his mouth to speak but she got there first.

"Your friend seems to be making a recovery. I ordered someone to take her back to her room. She's been in bed for a while but I think she woke up not too long ago."

"Where is she?" The Master asked.

"I'll get the maid to take you there." Lady Cassidy pressed a button at the side of the room. The button itself was surprising well hidden to avoid messing with the room's beauty. A moment later a short but pretty girl in a maid's uniform walked in.

"Ma'am you summoned me?" She spoke in a quiet voice, seeming a little nervous.

"Miss Trent, kindly bring this gentleman to see his friend."

"Of course Ma'am." She turned to the Master. "If you would like to follow me sir?" She gestured as she began to walk out the door. As they moved through the mansion the Master began to notice a distinct link between most of the staff there. Most were young, female and on the attractive side.

"Erm, Trent was it?" He asked the maid.

"Yes, sir." She replied seeming a little startled he was talking to her.

"Why have I only seen a few men that aren't the ones holding guns?"

"Well sir." She sighed. "Mr Cassidy liked his staff women like me. He was a good man but his eyes… wandered."

"Oh, and Lady Cassidy didn't mind?"

"I'm not sure if she noticed. I almost filed a complaint about him but then I remembered that he was top of the chain here. His heart was in the right place but it's too bad his hands weren't. There are even more girls here now though because of the Hawks expanding. With their reputation for…" She swallowed. "Many girls took refuge here and we've been putting them to work cleaning and doing various other chores."

"So how is Nicole doing?"

"Well I think. She no longer seems troubled by the head ache earlier. Your friend is very nice. Except for well… no it's nothing."

"What? Tell me."

"It's just… When our eyes met, there was something there, something terrifying."

"What was it?"

"I don't know. Just something. I think she's been having bad dreams but she needed the sleep to recover." They entered a lift and the maid pressed a couple of buttons. "Corridor 18." She said and the lift made a quick 'ding' of confirmation. "Where are you from, sir?"

"Excuse me?" The Master spun around.

"I'm sorry." She quickly backed away. "That was out of place for me, sir."

"I'm not local, you wouldn't know it if I told you."

"Oh." She returned to her former self. The girl was jumpy.

"Nicole is local though. Lives in some street in the centre near the park but she was born in the factory district."

"Hm, my sister lives there. Not that it should matter to you or anything, sir" She again backed off after saying the last part.

"What's the matter with you?" The Master asked as the doors opened. "You're so jumpy." She blushed slightly as she led the way out.

"I've been advised against talking to guests." She muttered.

"Look at that!" The Master pointed at a marble staircase. "You can see the reflection of the roof in the marble. I love marble, marble is good."

"Erm, it's this room, sir." She pointed at a door. The maid knocked twice. "Miss. I mean Miss Nicole, miss." She seemed a little unsure of what to call her.

"Just come in, Jessica." Nicole's voice shouted from behind the door.

"I've brought your friend." The maid said as she opened the door.

"Hello." The Master waved. "It's me."

"Oh, hi." She said. She was still in bed reading some sort of magazine. "Where have you been?" She asked.

"Taking care of stuff for you. You asked me to sort out this" a sudden lump formed in his throat. "This thing with, with Steven."

"I'd forgotten about that." She paused. "Sorry, I bet he just lost the soap or something, not that he every used soap." She snorted. The Master thought it was best to tell her now. So he did. He told her everything that happened since they left. She just listened. Even the maid behind seemed lost in what he was saying. When he was done she just stared at him. Then the Master knew what the maid meant earlier. There was something about her eyes, scary yet familiar to him.

"What are these things? These xenomorphs?" Was all she said. The Master had been expecting a sob story about how Steven was really the most amazing person who ever lived but no. When there was nothing left to talk about he decided to leave. Best to let her think. As the maid let him out Nicole called for her and the Master said he could find his own way back. The moment he walked out the door the Doctor was there with his hands together.

"News." He simply said. "Big news."

"Sit." Nicole said pointing at the side of her bed and Jessica did so.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"My brother is dead and I don't feel sad, that's what is wrong."

"Maybe it just needs time to sink in, miss." She suggested but Nicole shook her head.

"I loved him really, he was my brother, but why don't I feel grief? I want to but I don't."

"Couldn't you talk to him about it?" Jessica asked gesturing at the door where the Master had left.

"No. I don't know if I trust him yet. I like him but…" She shook her head. "I need to speak to a human, someone who might understand this. As you're my only friend here, Jess, that's where you come in."

"Jess?" She smiled slightly and began to slouch, relaxing again. "Maybe you should just wait. As I said your body might be in shock over the news."

"Yeah maybe." She sighed. "But what if there's something wrong with me? What I've lost empathy? I care more for my own skin knowing those things are out there rather than Steven and I hate myself for it."

Major Baines looked over the report sent to him. "Only you?" He asked Robert.

"Only me, major." Robert replied. "Remember your pet you sent out to kill Flass earlier?"

"Yes, and it worked. Flass is dead."

"At the cost of your entire squad." Robert muttered.

"They knew what they signed up for." The Major handwaved this away.

"Yeah well he survived." Robert told him. "The Time-lord survived. I met him at the ship, he tried to unleash the hoard of monsters inside upon your city. Luckily I stopped him and even managed to clear up the gas."

"Well good show, Robert." The major stood up to shake his hand.

"But there are complications."

"What complications? Without the gas my men and women can go in shooting, wipe these things out."

"A foolish strategy, major. Our Time-lord escaped. With something very important, these things have a hive mind, except the queen died upon impact so basic survival instinct set in. The Master has a device, a signal that can control them. He no doubt is planning to lead them against you." The major's face had gone rather pale.

"So what do you recommend?"

"Luckily I know where he is. He has joined up with that gang from the richer side of the colony."

"The HDL." The major nodded. "They haven't caused any real problems but I'd be much happier with them dead."

"Well that's good because that is what it will take. Storm the mansion where he is and take the device. Bring the Master to me."

"I can't spare the troops." The major shook his head.

"Major you get the devise and you control the invaders. You could round them up and kill them all without losing a man. This is much better, with the Hawks in a mess after the death of their leader you can also crush the HDL now and leave this city clean once the defeat of these monsters. Trust me, major." Robert gave a toothy grin.

_**I'm on a roll. Not sure how happy I am with this chapter but here it is anyway. Much earlier than expected.**_


	18. Chapter 18

Once the two Time-lords were alone the Doctor hushed him. Checked the room quickly and sighed. The room they were in was dark with a lone wooden table in the centre surrounded by mismatched chairs. "What's up?" The Master asked him.

"I was talking to the girl we found, the one you said was from the news crew."

"They were idiots; I knew it when I saw then, even by human standards. Why would they go into an area like that?"

"That's what journalists do. They poke around things not meant to be seen."

"Yeah you can say that again." He gave a sinister snigger before snapping back to the present.

"They had been thinking something was amiss and it all adds up, listen. Had you heard of any colonies out here? Human ones?" He asked seeming anxious.

"Well, no. But I never paid much attention to this stuff. Who says it's a human one anyway, plenty of aliens running around."

"It was founded by humans with alien help, some of them stayed and their ancestors still live here." He hand waved this along. "Xenomorphs are a well-documented creature, they need to be given how deadly they are, any creature literally born from death must be controlled from overpopulating. Humanity's first recorded encounter was in 2122. There was mining ship with a rogue xenomorph that slipped on killing the crew, thankfully someone survived and after a long cycle eventually humans recognised it as an alien species. According to the TARDIS the date is 3267. Way, way after said event. Xenomorphs have been encounter by humans a few times since and are registered as a class A threat by the human's animal regulation. This means that all humans should be well aware of these things but nobody knows much. This kind of attack should have been preventable."

"But it's not. They're all just running around in the dark. It's 3267?" He asked. "I knew that but forgot, the technology in this place is too far behind the rest of the universe." The Master started to have an odd feeling about the colony.

"Exactly, Its' more like a second wave colony rather than what it is." The Doctor leaned on the table. "Did you see the power plant?"

"Yeah. Now you mention it that thing was massive. Way bigger than needed for this place."

"That's because it's not just powering the city. It powers a hyper weapon as well. Its' a research facility for war time scientists." There were a few seconds of pause, allowing this information to sink in.

"Wait, what? How? Hyper weapons here?" The Master gapped.

"This entire colony is a lie. The place was set up as a normal colony at face value, just a small remote place to get away to. The majority here are unaware of anything different but for generations the scientists had been working in that power plant. Improving the weapon every day, making it more powerful, more efficient. But then the Shadow Proclamation welcomed humanity as a member of the council. What kind of an example would they be setting if they were still building weapons like this? I'll tell you. A pretty bad one, especially when they were almost caught. So the entire sector was abandoned, cut off. This colony and the ones nearby working on similar projects. Luckily the colonies could support one another without any need from the universe at large. The journalists had twigged that there was something wrong with the power plant, why was it so big? They apparently thought it could have something to do with the xenomorphs; they were wrong but good guess. Not so idiotic after all."

After letting all this sink in the Master couldn't think of something to say other than "she still had a stupid name." After a short while that seemed like hours he added "How'd you know all this."

"I'm the Doctor. I know everything." He said smugly.

"You've only just spoken to the girl. How'd you get that from whatever she said?"

"You know I've got a time machine. Looked around, did some digging." The Doctor waved his hands again.

"Does anyone still know about this weapon?"

"Doubtful." The Doctor shook his head. "The knowledge has probably passed away with the generations. They'll have been people asking questions and looking around, after all people worked at that place, but that weapon will be sealed in and hidden deep."

After another pause the Master voiced his thoughts. "So we find this thing and see if we can use it to our advantage."

The Doctor shot up straight. "No." He said sternly. "No, no, no, no, no. Whatever it is, disable it. Last thing we need is you getting your hands on a hyper weapon, in case you need reminding that they can cause planet wide destruction, something I don't want you to have the ability to do."  
"Aw, don't you trust me yet? I thought we were getting along so well." He made a look of mocking sadness. "I meant use it against the xenomorphs, save the humans, you like saving humans."

"I do like saving humans." He nodded in agreement. "But we can find another way not something like mass destruction."

"Oh, says you. You burn your own people but when creatures like xenomorphs are involved you're unwilling to do what is necessary? We've been handed a free weapon against these things and you're passing it over. You cannot reason with them, they are monsters killing out of instinct. This is the only way to stop them."

"We don't know what this weapon does." The Doctor replied. "It could take down this entire system for all we know."

"That's why we have to look at it. If it is that bad we get rid of it, but if we're lucky we might have a way to kill these things, especially as I think the xenomorphs are focused in one area, aside from a few stragglers that can be mopped up later."

"…maybe." The Doctor said grimly. "Maybe."

Major Baines inspected his troops. They were lined up in the court yard en-mass preparing for the assault on the HDL. This was his crowning moment. He would either be the man who took back the colony, or the man who let it burn. Robert had ensured him this was the right thing to do but he still had nagging doubts. The Major shoved them to the back of his head; he could have no regrets now. Lt. Mathews marched over to him and gave a quick salute. "Sir, the Lieutenant General is requesting an update, sir." The major sighed.

"Tell him I'm busy."

"Sir?" The lieutenant asked. "With all due respect, the Lieutenant General is your superior…"

"Just as I'm yours, Lieutenant." He snarled, putting an emphasis on the man's rank. Mathews saluted once more and marched off. Major Baines had gotten lucky when the colony was hit. The nearby colonies had a shared military and as luck would have it all his superiors had been off world and unable to get back which placed Baines in command. He was unsure how Robert had made it here in a no fly zone but he was grateful anyway, the man was mysterious but highly useful. Baines watched Robert from across the courtyard; he was just standing there with his eyes closed, like he was listening for something. The man was mad, Baines had no doubts, but that was guaranteed for someone in his position. No sane man could have done what he had. The sound of marching boots drowned out his thoughts.

"Sir, you requested me." The voice of his best, and most brutal, captain came from behind. He turned to see captain Dias saluting him. Her face was covered in scars. Some were recent, others were old. Her hair black was tied back underneath were captain's cap.

"I think you know why, Dias." The Major kept his hands held behind his back while playing with his thumbs. "I need this to go smoothly so I need the best that's you." She was trying not to look smug. "Your head rests on this, Dias. If you succeed, I dare say there might be a rank up for you."

"But if I go up any higher I'll be off the front lines, sir. I'm happy here kicking arse." Her voice was gravelly, still female but gravelly.

"I envy you." The Major lied. "Now there are plans to discuss."

_**A little short compared to my last two but otherwise it would be a bit long so it's split into the next chapter, all reviews welcome.**_


	19. Chapter 19

A loud knocking sound awoke Nicole. It had been a few days since her brother's death now. As far as she was aware the Doctor and the Master had spent the last few days arguing instead of actually doing anything. That was the danger of having two massive egos in conflict with one another. She'd actually hardly seen either of them; they spent most of their time in private rooms with only one another for company. Nicole just assumed they were exchanging ideas and information, she knew it was important but she'd of liked it if the Master had checked in on her a couple more times to see how she was doing, not that there was anything wrong with her now. She still had the dreams about the Master but they no longer scared her, not as much anyway. They bothered her but being scared changed nothing, she had told herself. Peeking into his mind had least shown her that he wanted to change now and if the Doctor was willing to forgive and forget, then she certainly could. The knocking sound came again. "In a moment." She called, hastily getting dressed. She slung on her nearest clothes, not bothering the straighten them out or even check the mirror before she answered the door.

"Looking rather beautiful today, miss." Jessica said with a sarky smile taking in the rushed appearance.

"I just woke up!" She complained. "Thanks to you."

"You should be awake anyway; I've been up for hours." The maid said, still keeping that smile.

"But that's your working hours, when I've got work I get up on time."

"You've been here for a few days and haven't left for work, are you sure you're employed?"

Nicole sighed. "Yes, now what did you come knocking for?"

"Just thought you might want to know breakfast is served."

After a few minutes of clean up, Nicole followed Jessica down the numerous halls until they reached the guest's dining room. She was pleased to see that the Master had just sat down as well and gestured for her to sit with him. They spent about an hour catching up, the Master seemed to want to tell her something but couldn't because of the lack of privacy. After breakfast he told her to meet in her room. After waiting a short while he appeared with a rather rushed explanation of everything the Doctor and he had figured out, she had to ask him to repeat a few times. She'd grown up here and that idea that it was such a lie was a blow in the gut. "But who cares why it was built? I mean it is just a normal colony now, right?"

"I guess so." He shrugged. "Except for the great big hyper weapon sitting in the power station." They sat across from one another, neither one saying anything. "Guards were strange today." The Master said.

"Strange how?" She asked.

"More alert, afraid. Like we need something else going on right now." He rolled his eyes. It didn't take too long before they found out why.

A few hours later and people were dashing around the mansion left and right shouting at one another. From what she'd gathered there was an attack and it was heading this way. Multiple armed men and women had assured her that there was no way that they were in any danger but it didn't stop her worrying. The later it got the more people panicked and gunfire could be heard in the distance. Nicole hurried to her room on the top floor and anxiously looked out the window. In the distance she could see a mass of figures; all headed this way all armed. That moment claxon bells rang throughout the mansion. "_EVACUATION IN EFFECT, EVACUATION IN EFFECT." _A man's voice echoed through the building. Nicole was still transfixed by the mess of incoming people.

"Well, well." A voice came from besides her. "The army is attempting a mop up." The Master said. He turned to leave. "Come on, we need to leave." He grabbed her by the shoulder and gently inclined her to move. As they began to move towards the door the Doctor practically jumped in.

"There you are. Listen, everyone is in a mad panic, you know what humans are like, and they might need a little help getting everyone and everything out safely." He hinted strongly.

"Oh." The Master gave an exasperated sigh. "Fine. What needs to be done?"

"Everything." The Doctor said as he led the way out.

The Master groaned. "You should go with the others." He said to Nicole.

"Not a chance. I'm staying with you." She said.

The majority of non-combatants had been evacuated by the time the army reached the main gate. HDL forces had attempted to slow them down but it had been futile. Guards had taken position in the windows and began shooting at any soldiers who began to cross the lawn. Nicole had been helping the wounded and shifting supplies but now the mansion was surrounded with no immediate escape. A loud bang echoed through the mansion meaning that some of the soldiers were now inside. More banging and crashing followed, getting louder and louder, they were coming closer and she had to leave. Deciding she'd done all she could Nicole ran for what she thought would be the nearest exit but several gas masked soldiers were matching up the route she was headed down. A door near the front soldier shook slightly and the soldier through himself through, shooting wildly, as bloodstains splattered on the soldier Nicole ran. She realised now that these men and women were an entirely different breed to those she'd encountered earlier. They were vicious, having no problem gunning down the unarmed staff. Somehow all of them wearing gas masks made them less human to her, making them easier to fear. With no eyes to look into as you plea for mercy, no face to show what is crossing the minds of these people made them terrifying attackers. Nicole pressed the button for the lift only to have a small group of gas masked soldiers walk out of a nearby room.

"There's one." The leader said through a muffled and somewhat robotic voice. "Stop her." Knowing the lift wouldn't come in time, Nicole ran up the stair case with the soldiers just behind. They came close but she had the adrenaline of fear on her side. As she was reaching the top she saw a large sofa leaning precariously over the top stair. A girl and a man were just behind it, one was Jessica still in her maid uniform and the other was a male chef she'd seen around a couple of times but never spoke to. Jessica shouted her name and pulled the sofa just out of Nicole's way so she could slip past then once Nicole was through they pushed it down the staircase knocking the soldiers like dominos.

"Glad you're safe." Nicole panted to her friend.

"Sorry you're still here." She replied with a sombre look.

"We keep moving." The chef spoke up and set a fast pace onwards through the blood red hallway with the two girls close behind. It was amazing how different the mansion looked now. It had gone from being cosy and comfy to dark and unforgiving. The sheer size of the building that had seemed like a luxury was now daunting. "The kitchen where I worked had an emergency exit; all did 'cos of fires and stuff, you know?" The chef grunted. They had to take a few detours but eventually they were close to the kitchen. "There just follow the-"the chef began but never finished as a soldier casually walked out of a nearby doorway. Both parties froze for a moment.

"Gotcha." The soldier said as he raised his rifle. As if on animal instinct the chef ran at him, grabbing the rifle. As both men wrestled for it the chef forced him back through the doorway he'd come through. Gunfire shattered the eardrums of anyone nearby and Nicole grabbed Jessica's hand, pulling her towards the kitchen as fast as she could.

"What about him?" She asked.

"What could we do?" Nicole replied. "We should focus on ourselves or we'll just die together." As the pair entered the kitchen they were overcome by the smell of gas, somewhere in there a pipe had burst.

"Come on." Jessica said running towards the exit. "What are you doing?" She turned to Nicole who was messing with some of the cooking equipment.

"boom" she simply said.

"Are you mad? You're going to light up this entire room."

"The soldiers are coming, Jess. It's on a timer, let's go." Nicole pulled away watching the timer tick slightly, waiting for the kitchen to go up in flames. Jessica pulled Nicole through the door way only to find a squad of troops with prisoners standing right in the garden in front of them. A scarred woman with a captain's cap (the only person who wasn't a prisoner not wearing a gas mask) glanced over in slight surprise.

"Feisty." She said with slight admiration and nodded to Nicole's right. A large soldier was standing right next to her and had raised the butt of his gun. Jessica's scream was the last thing she heard after the rifle end struck her with a horrific crunch.


	20. Chapter 20

The Master had his back to the wall, hidden in the shadows as masked foes marched past. They would occasionally communicate to one another through a variety of gestures with arm and hand movements. Slipping past them he tiptoed down a nearby corridor, the squishy carpet masking his steps. He had to find the Doctor. He'd run off wanting to find Lady Cassidy, make sure she got out, before the Master could stop him. But wait, why did he have to find him? He wasn't one of the Doctor's bumbling companions and he wasn't going to run to him, begging him to fix things with the click of his fingers. No he would get out by himself and maybe regroup with the Doctor later about the xenomorphs and what would happen when this whole affair was finished. Would he travel with the Doctor? His stomach pained with disapproval. There was no way he would run around earth saving idiotic, screaming humans from attack every week. But what choice did he have? Anyway he'd been trying to help here so surely it made no difference where he did it, except having to do things 'the Doctor's way'…. More masked voices came from up ahead, this train of thought could wait until later. Throwing himself behind a convenient curtain for a window still, he attempted to hide from the voices coming closer. Unfortunately he was unaware of the vase right behind the curtain; fortunately he had quick enough reactions to grab it before it hit the floor. The voices were now on the other side of the curtain and one of them he recognised.

"You do realise that this man could be the key to saving your city, your home?" The Time-lord said.

"Of course I do but we just haven't found him yet." A generic soldier was explaining.

"Then find him, sergeant. He is still here, I can feel it. Close, really, really close." He said reaching out his hand to touch the thin air.

"But we've swept the building and took down resistance. There's nothing left except prisoners." The Master's hearts skipped a beat. "The captain assures me…"

"Forget what your captain says, if he's still here, not dead or a prisoner then he is hiding like the coward he is. Search in every hiding place, every box, every cabinet, every crack in the wall, behind every curtain." Again the Master's hearts skipped. "Starting here." He said and drew back the curtain. The two Time-lords froze for a moment before the Master gave an oversized grin.

"Surprise!" He shouted and smashed the vase into the Time-lord's face then pushing him into the soldier next to him. The pair collapsed in a scrambling heap as the Master sprinted away. Only to find himself in a room surrounded by suits of armour with no way out other than the way he had come in.

"Gotcha." Came a voice from behind. The survivor was standing in the doorway, the lighting from behind him casting a long shadow over the entire room. His face was now covered in cuts and a large lump was already starting to form on the side of his head but it looked like his determination was over powering the sense of pain.

"So, now I'm trapped what are you going to do with me?" The Master asked, walking slowly towards one of the suits of armour.

"Bring you home of course." The survivor replied.

"Then what?"

"You face trial for your crimes."

"They just want me dead; you think I'll get a fair trial?"

"No." He smiled. "Even if it was fair they'd still sentence you to death." He had a point.

"So what if I don't come quietly?"

"Then I kill you myself and bring back the body."

"OK. Hold on, I'm considering options."

"Take your time." He snarled slowly taking a pistol out of its holster.

"I choose…" He grasped the sword from the suit of armour, clumsily sending it crashing to pieces in the process, "fight." He held the sword dramatically pointing the blade towards his opponent while holding the perfect stance; he'd not forgotten how to use a blade. His foe just raised his pistol.

"You brought a sword to a gun fight." He smirked

"How dishonourable of you, call me a coward for hiding from armed men and you think it is fair to shoot someone who can't shoot back."

"And you always fight with honour?"

"Oh, yes always." The Master lied. "I like to know that I'm actually better than my opponent rather than just using dirty tricks to gain the upper hand, unlike you obviously."

"I'll show you, bastard." The Survivor muttered also taking a sword.

"Now that is more like it, I applaud you, my worthy opponent." The Master took a semi-mocking bow and thrust the sword against him. Steel met steel with a mighty clash; it seemed as if they were made for ornamental effect rather than actual weapons but it was all he had to use at the moment. A quick dodge from a blow to the left and a parry from the Master stunned his foe. The Master took the opportunity to punch his foe in the face sending him back a few steps. Rage was starting to show which may make his attacks more powerful but also more desperate and careless. Assuming a defensive stance the Master awaited the next attack, which didn't take long. A barrage of heavy and unrelenting attacks soon forced the Master back across the room, he just couldn't get an opening for a counter attack and found himself tumbling to the floor a moment later. He'd tripped on the breast plate of the suit of armour he'd knocked over. It was painful to land among the metal but he knew the oncoming sword would be more painful and likely to cut him clean in two. Dropping his heavy sword for a second so he could manoeuvre easier he rolled away barely missing the blade's edge. The wooden floor shattered under the impact sending small splinters flying around, causing both men to shield their faces. The Master grabbed the nearest thing he could, an armoured helmet and smashed it into his opponent's face sending him staggering back, giving the Master enough time to reclaim his weapon and get back on his feet. He attempted an attack but it was easily blocked. "Where's your soldier boy?" The Master asked, hoping that getting him talking would lower his defences.

"Sent him back, wanted to do this alone." He growled.

"Alone? Just you and me, getting all hot and sweaty, with no one else around, just pure passion." The Master licked his lip. His foe's face suddenly displayed a mixture of emotion from blind rage to sheer confusion. It was the pause the Master had been waiting for. A quick swipe from the sword cut his foe's leg and a blow from the butt of the sword smacked him onto the floor while the Survivor's sword flew out of his hands. The Master stood on the neck of his defeated opponent. "Gotcha."

At that moment an explosion echoed through the mansion. "I should go." The Master said after giving his opponent a quick stomp on the head. He sought out the location of the blast and it didn't take long to find it. The kitchen was gone, as were the poor solders inside. He approached one charred corpse. "Brutal." He said in admiration and gave a small chuckle. Casually wondering into the garden, he found a group of solders spread out among the area. Dead in front of him were two armed men. "Ah, I should of thought this through." He said as they raised their weapons. One of them stared at his face for a moment.

"It's him." The solder shouted and a woman in captain's uniform marched forward. As she got closer the Master noticed her face was covered in scars, she'd seen a few battles and he could tell this, not just from the scars on her face but the coldness in her eyes, she wisely viewed her men as expendable, as a commander should. She searched him but found nothing in his pockets.

"Where is the device?" She asked him sternly.

"Which one would that be?" He racked his brain, thinking for something these people would know about.

"Don't play stupid, the one that lets you control the things in the smog." She sighed crossing her eyes.

"Oh that one, yeah. Why should I tell you?" He blagged. His captor smiled.

"I was hoping you'd say that." She whispered and struck him across the face.

"How crude." He muttered, but privately he couldn't deny it stung a little.

"I know what you are, Timelord. Oh I was briefed. I could torture you until you die, then you'd regenerate so I could do it again." She smiled again.

"Been there done that." He told her. "Hey do you know what I can do? I could summon 'the things in the smog' right now to tear you and your squad apart."

"I'm not scared of death." She shrugged.

"…well played." The Master nodded. "Thing is I won't stop there, I'll kill every last stinking ape on this rock."

"All the more reason you should be contained." She said.

"Oh, I've just dug myself a hole." The Master muttered and his captor nodded.

Suddenly a familiar sound broke through the night. The TARDIS. It began to materialise around the Master, causing the two men to release him and even the captain to step back in surprise. Giving them one last smile before the TARDIS formed fully around him, the Master turned to the Doctor. "My hero! Oh Doctor, I love you so." He teased.

"You're welcome." The Doctor acknowledged.

"Hey, where's Nicole?" He suddenly thought to ask. The doctor tapped into the console and moved the visual screen closer to him.

"Ah, right out there." He began wiggling his finger.

"Great, what weapons have you got in here?" The Master asked.

"No." The Doctor turned to him, giving a significant look.

"She's my responsibility, we'll save her my way. Besides, I was here first."

"Look, if I find a way to save her without killing anyone, will you let me sort it out?" The Doctor pleaded.

"I suppose so." The Master nodded. "Same result. Got a plan?"

"I think I'm forming one." He grinned.


End file.
